Police in Potsdam Form Investigation Team in Search of Missing Kenyan Teen

A Kenyan teen has gone missing. In fear of her life, the police in Potsdam are pulling out all the stops in their search for her.

A 15 year old Kenyan that has been identified only as Britney, has been missing since 10pm on Tuesday, 15th October. After a quarrel with her parents, she left their home in Drewitz in Potsdam claiming to go visit some acquittances but never showed up nor returned home. This is the first time Britney has been away from home for such a long time.

On Wednesday morning, a passerby walking by the banks of the River Havel along the long bridge, found a bag with Britney’s personal belongings, identification and some clothes.

Upon reporting to the police, a search operation with 60 first responders among them divers, a helicopter, a drone and search dogs from the coast guard, was set up at the Havel close to the Mercure hotel. Unfortunately with no success.

The police could confirm that the letter found with Britney’s belongings did not belong to her and had nothing to do with her disappearance. The search dog that was brought to help with the search was unable to pick up any scent from the items and just stood there. 

On Wednesday afternoon, the police shared her picture on social media. By Friday, the police had printed posters which were placed around all the major train stations in Potsdam.

One of the posters posted across train stations in Potsdam looking for Britney

By Saturday morning, the police spokeswoman confirmed that the police had received four separate clues from witnesses but none had brought them closer to finding Britney. The search in the waters of the Havel was officially stopped on Thursday evening. There is no evidence of a crime but the police would not be ruling anything out for now. An active search by the police has been suspended and instead an investigation team was set up.

“The investigation team consists of ten police officers and will be headed by Commissioner Falk Heidke, who has substantial experience in the search of missing children and teenagers,” the spokeswoman for the Police Department West said on Friday.

The investigation team will be contacting people who interacted with Britney frequently. The team promised to continue working over the weekend on the clues they had gotten from the interviews.

Britney is slim and about 1.60 meters tall. She has brown, shoulder-length hair and wore a white T-shirt and blue jeans when she was last seen.

Britney came to Germany from Kenya with her mother and her little brother about two and a half years ago. She attends a Gesamtschule in Potsdam. 

Anyone who might have seen anything at the Nutherpark or knows anything that happened to Britney is requested to get in touch with the Police in Potsdam on 0331-55080 or to any other police station close to you.