Missing Highbridge mother Rebecca Minnock and her three-year-old son Ethan have been found safe and well, police said last night (Friday).
Rebecca, known as Becky, who had been missing with Ethan since May 26th, came forward and made contact with police on Friday evening.
She was in the Oxford area when she came forward, they said.
DCI Marie Wright, who led the investigation, said: “This is the news we had been hoping for and I am grateful to Becky for coming forward.”
“Both Becky and Ethan will now receive the support they need and the appropriate welfare arrangements will be made.”
“I would like to thank the public and the media for their assistance throughout this investigation.”
It comes after police issued a personal video appeal to Rebecca Minnock earlier on Friday, saying “you don’t have to carry on hiding” and urging her to contact police.
In the two-minute video, DCI Wright, right, said: “We know what you’re doing is the best for Ethan because obviously you’re his mum and you’re thinking what is best for him. You’re doing what any mum would in the fact that you believe you’re really protecting him.”
“But I know that you’ve been talking to the media, you talked about how you wanted Ethan to come home. You want him to have contact with his Nanny, with his pets and playing in the garden and I think that’s the best possible outcome and idea. You said that you thought you’re going to be in a huge amount of trouble for what you’ve done, but I want to make sure that you and Ethan are safe.”
Also on Friday, Rebecca Minnock’s mum and partner were jailed for lying about her disappearance, as we reported here.
Judge Stephen Wildblood at Bristol Crown Court said on Friday he “could not possibly” avoid imposing a prison sentence on Louise Minnock, 52, and Andrew Butt, 56.
Rebecca Minnock, 35, had fled her home in Highbridge with three-year-old Ethan two weeks ago. The pair vanished on the day Miss Minnock was due to hand her only child over to his father, Roger Williams, following a court order.
She defied orders by Judge Wildblood to come forward, as well as direct appeals from police and family members appearing before the courts.
Mrs Minnock and Mr Butt were jailed for 10 and 28 days respectively for lying to police and withholding “crucial” information which would find Ethan.
