Katrice Lee: Family of missing girl launch appeal for new information

The family of a missing girl not seen since she disappeared 40 years ago are re-launching appeals for fresh information.

Katrice Lee disappeared from a NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) supermarket in Schloss Neuhaus, Paderborn, Germany, during a birthday shop with her mother and aunt.

Natasha Walker, the older sister of Katrice Lee, said living without her sibling was "the hardest thing to do", and urged anyone with information to come forward.

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"Wondering if she is alive and well, or if something terrible happened to her, is relentless," she said.

"All we can do is to live in hope. 

"Someone knows the answers which will unlock us from this pain we are having to carry."

Watch: Katrice Lee - Father returns to where missing Army toddler disappeared almost 40 years ago.

"I urge anyone, who knows anything, to please get in touch with Missing People.

"Please help us to bring her home.”

Successive appeals have failed to yield any information about Katrice's whereabouts.

A section of a river bank near where Katrice was last seen was excavated in 2018 as part of renewed investigations, but nothing was discovered.

In 2019, a woman was handed a suspended jail sentence after setting up a Facebook profile impersonating Katrice.

Military police also arrested a man in connection with the disappearance and began searching a terraced house in Swindon, Wiltshire.

Watch: Katrice Lee - PM promises to meet veteran father 40 years after daughter's disappearance 

The man was later released without charge.

Earlier this month,  Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to meet Katrice’s father, Richard Lee, "father to father" after Mr Lee’s local MP raised the request during Prime Minister's Questions.

At the time of her disappearance, Katrice was 2ft 8in and is described as white European with dark brown, curly hair.

She was born with a condition in her left eye, which would have needed several operations to correct. 

She was last seen wearing a blue duffle coat, with a green fur-trimmed hood, a green and blue pinafore dress, red wellingtons, and a white blouse with a blue-trimmed collar and cuffs.

Anyone with information can text Missing People's helpline on 116 000 or +44208 392 4545 for overseas callers, or email [email protected].