Urgent police search to find four missing children who vanished three days ago

08 October 2023 , 21:49

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An image of the Maughan family which was taken around five or six years ago (Image: PA)

Police in Northern Ireland have launched an urgent appeal to find four children, who were reported missing three days ago.

Louise, 16, Marie Theresa, 15, Owen, 12, and eight-year-old Christina Maughan are all siblings, and were last seen in the Lisnaskea area of County Fermanagh on Thursday. Detectives believe they may have travelled out of the country with their mum and dad, Kathleen and Martin Maughan, and may be staying in the Republic of Ireland.

In an appeal to locate their whereabouts, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) released an image of the family which was taken around five or six years ago. While the children have aged since the photograph was taken, officers say they are still recognisable from the photo, adding that the mum is of a slim build.

Chief Inspector Lynne Corbett said: "We are asking that Kathleen or Martin, the children, or anyone who knows of their whereabouts, get in touch with police and let us know where the children are and that they are safe. I would also ask that they be returned to Northern Ireland as soon as possible."

Issuing a statement on Sunday night, the force wrote: "Police are seeking the public’s help in locating four missing children. Louise (16), Marie Theresa (15), Owen (12) and Christina Maughan (8) are siblings who were reported missing from the Lisnaskea area on Thursday 5 October.

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"It’s believed they may have travelled out of Northern Ireland with their mother and father, Kathleen and Martin Maughan, and may be somewhere in the Republic of Ireland." Anyone with information is urged to contact police by calling 101, quoting reference 1181 05/10/23.

Katie Weston