Dudley dad makes fresh plea with never-seen-before photos as missing daughter would have turned 40

Over two decades since his daughter went missing without a trace, a father is once again appealing for information before his “time is up”.

Natalie Putt was only 17-years-old when she went missing from her home in Thornleigh, Lower Gornal, Dudley, on 1 September 2003.

She left her 11-week-old son at home with relatives, saying she was just popping to the shops – but the teenager never returned.

Natalie, who would have been 40 this year, disappeared 23 years ago this week and on the anniversary of her disappearance her father, who has never stopped searching, has once again pleaded for information to help find his daughter.

Issuing photos that have never been released publicly before showing Natalie celebrating Christmas with her family and trying on her dad’s jacket, her dad David Putt just wants answers so he can finally properly mourn his little girl.

David said: “It’s been 23 years since Nat went missing which is a very long time and this year would have been her 40th birthday.

“Somebody out there knows something, and I want to ask them to please come forward and contact the police.

“I don’t care how big or small the information may be, the family needs to know what happened to her.

“I will be 70 next year and I want to know what happened to her before my time is up.

“Please try and set your mind back to 1 September 2003 and get in touch if you saw anything that could help the officers looking into my daughter’s disappearance.

“On 15 January 2019 the coroner pronounced Natalie deceased and her cause of death as unascertained, but we still have so many unanswered questions.

“Please, please help me and the family finally be able to mourn her properly with our questions around what happened to her answered.”

Following extensive missing person enquiries, a nationwide publicity appeal and multiple searches her disappearance remains a mystery.

Detective Inspector Jim Church, from our homicide review team, said: “It’s now been 23 years since Natalie went missing and we’re still working to get David and her family answers.

“From the day she disappeared her bank account has remained untouched, she didn’t take any possessions and the last communication she made with anyone was on that day.

“Unfortunately, despite our best efforts Natalie has never been found or heard from since the day she left her home.

“She was a new mum who loved her son and would never have left him or left her family without reason.

“Through my many chats with David, I know how much her disappearance has affected him and the whole family and all we want is to get her family some answers.”

A local 18-year-old man was arrested in March 2004 in connection with her disappearance but later released without charge.

Following tip offs from members of the public over the last 23 years, underwater search teams have trawled rivers and lakes around her home, an area of private land in Wombourne, South Staffordshire was also searched and a detailed forensic analysis of Natalie's former home have all taken place.

In June 2017, several graves were examined in a Gornal cemetery without the need for any human remains to be exhumed, however nothing was found and the graves were resealed and restored to their original condition.

DI Church added: “I want to appeal to anyone who has any information or saw something that raised their suspicions around that time in the Dudley area or who may have seen Natalie on that day or the ones following.

“Even if you think it’s not relevant, your information could be what we need to put the pieces together.

“The team and I want to get answers for David and Natalie’s family and friends – they deserve to know what happened her.”

Anyone with information can contact the team on 101, via Live Chat on our website or through the missing persons’ charity on 116 000.