Katie Kenyon’s sister said her family was broken by the news that the 33-year-old mother of two was dead as police blamed a 50-year-old man for her murder.
Katie, 33, who neighbors say is a caregiver, disappeared after boarding a van Friday morning. She was last seen at around 9.30am when she was believed to be traveling in a minibus leaving Burnley for the Bolton area near Bowland. She has not been seen since.
Andrew Burfield, 50, of Burnley, is due to appear in Blackburn Magistrates’ Court tomorrow at 10 a.m. on charges of her murder.
Katie’s sister Sarah wrote on Facebook: “Getting the most heartbreaking news this afternoon that our Katie is no longer with us was the worst thing we had to hear.”
Police say Katie’s family has been notified and continues to be supported by specially trained staff. They expressed their gratitude for all the wishes, but asked people to respect their privacy at the moment.
Katie’s sister said Wednesday night that her family had “lost a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, granddaughter and friend”, Sky News reported.
This is the sixth day Katie Kenyon disappeared after she disappeared on Friday morning in Burnley and police are still searching
A policeman with a sniffer dog in Gisborne Forest, where police began searching for Katie Kenyon as she entered her sixth day
A team of 60 detectives from four police units and dogs are searching a beauty spot about 23 miles from her hometown in search of her body.
Lancashire police said last night that the investigation into a missing person is now a murder investigation. The search is tentatively planned to continue at least until this Friday.
Police said Ms. Kenyon’s family has been briefed on the latest developments and continues to be supported by specially trained staff.
Dozens of officers were spotted touring the 3,000-acre Gisborne Forest in the Ribble Valley yesterday, about 23 miles from Todmorden Road, in Kenyon Burnley’s hometown, where she was last seen parking her white Ford Fiesta at 9 a.m. 15 on Friday morning, before boarding the van about 15 minutes later.
Her family revealed that she left her belongings in her car, as her sister posted on Facebook that “nothing is added” to her disappearance on Saturday.
Before the news that the man was accused of murder appeared, Mrs. Kenyon’s sister Sarah wrote on Facebook: “Can I and my family ask people to STOP saying rest in peace! They did not find a body! He was not charged with murder! He was arrested on suspicion of murder!
“WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR OUR KATIE!” It’s out there and we still need people to come up with SOME information, big or small! This is absolutely heartbreaking for us.
Police believe the van was traveling to the village of Bolton-by-Bowland, 17 miles north of Burnley and just seven miles south of the beauty spot they are now looking for.
A team of detectives from four police stations and dogs search a beauty spot miles from her home
Police searched the property on Todmordon Road in Burnley after she disappeared and the man was arrested.
Specialized emergency teams are searching the Gisborne Forest area in the Ribble Valley today, searching for Katie Kenyon’s mother.
Detective Superintendent Gary Brooks, chief of the Lancashire Police Serious Crimes Unit, said Tuesday: “While I have little hope that Katie can still be found alive, I am sorry to say that Katie is unaccounted for by more of four days. Despite extensive police investigations and media calls, we did not find Katie, nor were there any observations of Katie.
“Today we talked to Katie’s family and they are understandably extremely upset by this latest development and I have employees who continue to offer them support. At the moment my thoughts are with them.
“I am really grateful for all the help that members of the public have given us so far and I will continue to call on anyone who has any information, albeit small, to come out and talk to us. Although we have someone arrested, our investigations are ongoing.
“We continue to look for a number of different locations in connection with this investigation, including Gisborne Forest, and I am grateful to my colleagues from Merseyside and North Wales, as well as other emergency partners, who are offering assistance in this complex and large-scale search.
“I know that many members of the public have offered to help us in this search, and although I am grateful for that, I would encourage anyone to do so. The area we are looking for is very large and remote, without a phone signal. Police teams are trained professionals who are used to doing this kind of work, and I would hate to get lost or injured while trying to help. Please leave it to us.
Forces from across the northwest have been called in to help search the vast forest.
Search and rescue dogs rushed through the trees as the areas remained isolated for pedestrians and mountain bikers.
The fire and rescue services are also assisting in the search, which is expected to last at least until Friday.
Horse policemen patrolled the many footpaths that ran through the forest. Merseyside and North Wales police officers are also assisting in the search.
Katie Kenyon, 33, has not been seen for six days after disappearing in Burnley on Friday, leaving her family insane.
Officials wearing goggles and wands search every corner of the vast area of the Ribel Valley Forest
Ms. Kenyon was last seen on April 22 in Burnley and is believed to have traveled to the area with a man in a silver transit van.
Dense greenery and forests hinder and slow the progress of the police, who are trying to find any trace of Ms. Kenyon
Detectives search Tudmordon Road house in Burnley for clues after Ms. Kenyon boarded a van there
Ms. Kenyon was last seen boarding this transit van on Friday morning with an unknown man before disappearing.
Forensic teams outside the Todmorden Road address in Burnley, where Katie Kenyon disappeared shortly after 9:30 a.m. Friday morning
The incident, which was reported to Lancashire police, occurred in 2021, but was not reported at the time.
Paul Clough, 56, one of Ms. Kenyon’s neighbors, told MailOnline: “Someone cut her tires about a year ago.
“I don’t know Katie that well, but she’s all for her two children.”
Christine Marshall, 62, said: “Once the tires on her car were cut. This is really not typical for her, she would never abandon her children.
“I think he worked part-time, according to the uniform he wore, I would assume as a care worker or something.”
Ms. Kenyon’s Samsung handset stopped ringing shortly after 2pm after she boarded the van on Friday and her Fiesta was left there with her belongings.
Her family also said she appeared to have posted some items in a mailbox on a street address.
She has been missing since Friday, April 22, and Lancashire police are increasingly worried about her after her disappearance, which is “uncharacteristic.”
A friend said, “She wouldn’t do that by letting her children go home from school without her.”
Officials say they believe a woman matching Katie’s description got into the silver van with the man three days ago.
Ms. Kenyon’s sister Jenny posted online that her phone was no longer working, adding: “Samsung! Off from 14:00 yesterday.
“He drove his car to a house and put his things away and disappeared!”
“Very unusual and uncharacteristic of Katie. Nothing is complementary and we are all concerned about her and her whereabouts.
“She drives a white Fiesta that was launched at a Burnley house on Todmordon Road with her belongings – it still doesn’t make sense.”
The search for the missing 33-year-old Katie Kenyon ended in Gisborne Forest last night with police officers who are trying to bring her home
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