Family reported missing to police were actually safe and on holiday

18 December 2015 - 17:35 By Lizeka Tandwa
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A family that was reported missing in Douglasdale was shocked to learn they had been reported to the police.

Family representative and director at The Pink Ladies, Dessie Regna, said the couple immediately called their family after learning that they had been reported missing.

"This is a good story to tell. The couple and their kids are safe, and they were shocked to learn that they had been reported to the police," Ragna told News24. 

Regna said the confusion came about after family members called the couple several times, but their phones had been switched off.

"We worked through the night trying to get any information we could on their whereabouts. Graham’s mother was upset and rightly so, considering how many people go missing.

"When they eventually got the call that the couple had arrived safely to their destination, they were ecstatic,” Regna told News24. 

Graham Leach, 39, and Cara-Lize Lugibihl, 29 - along with their two children Riley-Quinn Leach, 3, and 18-month-old Owen-Finn Leach - left Douglasdale for Aliwal North at 4:00 on December 16 in their silver Mitshubishi Triton.

They were supposed to arrive on the same day, but only arrived two days later. Regna said she was not sure where the family was on the second day.

The Pink Ladies is an organisation that helps police and families find missing people. Regna said this was a unique case. She said on average this year they had had a 97% success rate in locating missing children. 

She said the couple was enjoying their holiday. 

Source: News24

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