Thames Valley Police have launched an urgent appeal to find two missing children, Elise and Elliot, who disappeared from Banbury, Oxfordshire, on April 16, 2025. The pair, believed to be together, may have links to Milton Keynes, over 24 miles away. Police are asking anyone with information to contact them.
The case is part of a broader campaign, Missed, by The Mirror, aiming to highlight missing persons and provide support to their families. The campaign, in partnership with Missing People, seeks better care for missing individuals and their loved ones, ensuring they receive help during such a critical crisis.
It was an ordinary afternoon when two children, a girl and a boy, left school with the intention of heading home — but they never arrived. Four days later, there is still no sign, no trace. Their families are in anguish, and the authorities have launched an extensive search operation to find the minors who vanished without a trace.
The children, aged 8 and 9, were last seen together on a street near their school. Their parents reported them missing after several hours with no contact. Since then, the police have mobilized numerous resources, including search teams, tracking dogs, and drone surveillance, but have yet to obtain any concrete results.
The community has responded immediately. Volunteers have joined the police forces to help with the search, distributing posters and sharing information on social media. A sense of solidarity and concern has swept across the area. Meanwhile, the parents are repeatedly pleading for help and for any information that might lead to the children’s whereabouts.
Authorities have stated that they are considering all possibilities. One of the investigators on the case said that no option is being ruled out, including kidnapping or voluntary departure. Security cameras in the area are being reviewed for any suspicious activity, and the children’s phones are being analyzed for any data that could aid the investigation.
The families of the missing children are emotionally devastated. In a brief statement to the media, the girl’s mother tearfully said, “I just want my daughter to come home. Every night I go to sleep thinking she’s somewhere, waiting for us to find her.” The boy’s parents have also stated that they will not stop until they have an answer.
The police continue to seek the public’s help and urge anyone who might have seen anything unusual in the vicinity of the school or nearby areas to contact them immediately. As the fourth day passes without new developments, hope has not yet been lost. The community remains united, praying and waiting for good news.