Search for missing Sheffield teenager not seen for three weeks now being treated as a '˜critical incident'

Detectives desperately searching for a 16-year-old Sheffield College student who has been missing for more than three weeks say they are now treating her disappearance as a '˜critical incident'.
Pamela Horvathova.Pamela Horvathova.
Pamela Horvathova.

Supt Paul McCurry said a team of around eight detectives and 12 officers were working to find Pamela Horvathova, who was last seen leaving the college's Granville Road complex at around 2.05pm on Tuesday, December 18

She was reported missing on December 24 and Supt Paul McCurry pleaded for anyone with any information to get in touch.

Pamela Horvathova.Pamela Horvathova.
Pamela Horvathova.
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Supt Paul McCurry said: 'This is a critical incident. We are looking for a missing 16-year-old girl and she is vulnerable. Any child who is under the age of 17 is classed as '˜vulnerable' by law.

'Due to the length of time she has now been missing, and the lack of contact with her family, or anyone we have spoken to so far during the course of our enquiries, our concerns for Pamela are understandably growing.

'We need the public to get behind us and we need your help to find her. We are particularly keen to speak to her friends and anyone she associates with outside of college. Did you speak to her on Tuesday, December 18? Did she say anything about where she might be going or did she raise any concerns?'

Supt Paul McCurry of South Yorkshire police appealing for information to the whereabouts of missing teenager Pamela Horvathova. Picture: Dean AtkinsSupt Paul McCurry of South Yorkshire police appealing for information to the whereabouts of missing teenager Pamela Horvathova. Picture: Dean Atkins
Supt Paul McCurry of South Yorkshire police appealing for information to the whereabouts of missing teenager Pamela Horvathova. Picture: Dean Atkins

Supt McCurry said Pamela was of Roma Slovak heritage and lived on Staniforth Road, Darnall, with her family.

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He added officers were examining CCTV footage of a possible sighting of Pamela at Ice Sheffield on December 19.

The officer added: 'This is a really difficult time for her family and I just want to make sure Pamela is safe and well.

Supt Paul McCurry of South Yorkshire police appealing for information to the whereabouts of missing teenager Pamela Horvathova. Picture: Dean AtkinsSupt Paul McCurry of South Yorkshire police appealing for information to the whereabouts of missing teenager Pamela Horvathova. Picture: Dean Atkins
Supt Paul McCurry of South Yorkshire police appealing for information to the whereabouts of missing teenager Pamela Horvathova. Picture: Dean Atkins

'I think people can give us more information than the family are able to tell us at this time.

'Someone knows where Pamela is, where she has been or where she has been staying. Please, get in touch with us straight away.'

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Detectives are also investigating whether Pamela had left Sheffield and travelled elsewhere in the country.

Supt McCurry added: 'The Roma community do tend to travel around. They have communities all over the UK that's why I need the help of the public.

'If people see Pamela in an emergency situation call 999 or if they have any information they should call us on 101.'

Supt McCurry said Pamela had been reported missing twice before but for her to go missing for so long  was '˜very out of character'.

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Asked why it had taken police three weeks to hold a press conference, he added: 'It's very difficult to get information from that particular part of the community. It takes a lot of time to piece together.'

Police had earlier said she had been seen at Meadowhall but now they have had been unable to corroborate the CCTV footage from the shopping centre.

A public meeting will be held at the Pakistan Muslim Centre, Woodbourn Road, Darnall, from 7.30pm tonight (Tuesday).

Anyone with any information should call police on 101, quoting incident number 941 of December 24.