Father Continues Search for Daughter Missing 43 Years Ago

Katrice Lee, then two years old, vanished 43 years ago from a British military supermarket in Germany. Her father has consistently pursued efforts to find her. The experience of briefly losing a child in a crowded setting is familiar to many families. For most, this distressing moment is fortunately brief, but for Richard Lee, it has endured for 43 years and counting. “My whole world fell apart in that one moment,” recalls army veteran Richard, noting that the events of 28 November 1981 have subsequently defined every aspect of his life. It was Katrice’s second birthday, and she had been shopping for items for a tea party at a supermarket near Paderborn. She became separated from her family for a short time before disappearing without a trace. Since that day, there has been no sign or sighting of Katrice, yet her family remains convinced she is still alive. They believe she was abducted to be raised as a surrogate child, unaware of her true identity. Richard has traveled from his residence in Hartlepool, accompanied by his other daughter, Natasha, from Gosport, to visit the precise location where Katrice disappeared, commemorating what would have been her 45th birthday. A photographic exhibition titled “Missing Katrice” is being held at the site, where the former Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) supermarket now operates as an art gallery. The family expresses hope that the exhibition might generate new information and leads concerning her disappearance. “We’ve been failed, abandoned and are now the only ones still searching for our daughter,” Richard states. In 2020, the Royal Military Police made the decision to cease active investigations. Katrice’s family described the original investigation as “botched” from the outset, characterizing its handling of the case as “inadequate and incompetent.” Border staff were not immediately informed of Katrice’s disappearance, and no roadblocks or checks were implemented. Key witnesses were not interviewed for decades, and a photofit of a suspect was not released for 36 years. The Royal Military Police has since acknowledged failures in its investigation and issued an apology to the family. These admissions provided little comfort to Richard, who returned his army medals in protest over how the case had been managed. He and Natasha examined photographs of themselves within the exhibition, which are black and white portraits that artist Stu McKenzie explains explore the profound emotions associated with Katrice’s case. McKenzie states that the exhibition aims to offer insight “into the deep loss, ongoing trauma and the unyielding hope that continues to shape the family’s search for answers.” The family hopes this exhibition will reignite the search for Katrice and raise local and national awareness that she is still missing. However, they feel they are acting alone. The Royal Military Police received a VIP invitation, but no official is expected to attend. No politicians, police officers, or army officials will be present. The Ministry of Defence conveyed that its “thoughts and sympathies” remain with Katrice’s family. A spokesman indicated that the Defence Serious Crime Unit had “assumed primacy of the investigation” and that it would be “inappropriate” to comment on previous investigations. Richard, who will turn 75 later this month, suggests this could be his final visit to the scene. Although he may not return to this location, he asserts he will never cease fighting to find his daughter. “Every morning when I get up, Katrice is the first thing on my mind and the last when I go to bed,” he says, adding: “I will never ever give up.” He concludes, “As a family we have one aim in our life and that is to find Katrice.” For updates, follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.