Robert Williams was last seen leaving a house party in Aberdulais, Wales in March 2002 and his heartbroken mum Cheryl Davies has appealed to anyone who may be able to help locate her son
The heartbroken mum of a teenager who went missing 23 years ago has not given up hope of finding her son, insisting she just wants to “give him the burial that he deserves”.
Robert Williams was last seen alive on Sunday, March 24 2002 at a house party in Aberdulais, a village in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. The 15-year-old had left his Resolven home on the Friday morning following a disagreement with his mum, Cheryl Davies, and after staying over at an address in the Clyne area, a village two to three miles from his home, Robert made his way to the house party but was never seen again.
Police believe the teen walked from Clyne to Tonna, to purchase alcohol, along with friends on the Saturday before making their way to the house party in the Aberdulais area. Robert was extremely familiar with the area and the party would have been attended by many of his friends, although 23 years on from his disappearance police are none the wise of what happened.
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Devastated mum Cheryl conceded her son is probably no longer alive but remains hopeful the family will get to bury the teenager one day. “We know that Robert is no longer here anymore and we accept that, we have no choice,” Cheryl said, as per Wales Online.
“There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t think about him and I know that there’s somebody out there who knows something. Somebody was the last person to see my son alive. All we want as a family is to fetch him home, and I want to lay my son to rest; like any other parent would. To have somewhere to go to grieve and you know where they are.
“The slightest thing that you may think is not important, might be really important to us. I am just asking to please come forward. Just help me fetch my son home and give him the burial that he deserves.”
Police have now renewed their appeal for information on the teenager’s disappearance and his case featured in an episode of the BBC’s Crimewatch programme on Thursday, March 20. On the programme, Cheryl revealed she “knew something was wrong” after Robert failed to return home on the Friday night, with the mum reporting him missing to police on the Saturday.
Previously speaking to BBC’s Crimewatch Live, Cheryl revealed Robert’s last words to her. She said: “The morning Robert went missing was just like any other morning. He said: ‘I am off out mam, see you later’ and he looked so happy going around the corner. Just every day I think about that because that is the last time I have ever seen him.”
She added: “He was a character – he always made you laugh. He loved his sport. He was never without a ball, a rugby ball or a football, he just loved everything about it.”
Detective Inspector David Butt, from South Wales Police’s major crimes investigation team, said the investigation found that Robert was “intoxicated” when he left the house party at around 4pm or 5pm on Sunday, March 24. This marks the last confirmed sighting of Robert.
DI Butt said that police “can’t be 100% certain” of what happened to Robert after he left that address. A trainer was discovered on the River Neath’s bank near Clyne on April 1 and Cheryl confirmed that the trainer was “very similar” to a pair of shoes Robert owned.
“In March of 2002, there had been a substantial amount of rain,” DI Butt explained. “The rivers were fast flowing and high; if Robert had slipped and fallen then it would be highly unlikely he would’ve been able to get out.”
Crimewatch highlighted that this was just one hypothesis, and that police hadn’t been able to establish if that was exactly what happened to Robert. In 2021 a 59-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man were arrested in connection with Robert’s disappearance but no one was charged following investigations.
Speaking with Crimewatch host Michelle Ackerly for this week’s episode, DI Butt said: “I’d like to hear from anybody that was present at the party that took place on Saturday, 23rd March, 2002 into the following day, the Sunday; where Robert was present. I would like to appeal to anyone who may have information in relation to Robert’s whereabouts, whether he is alive or dead because the last 23 years have been a nightmare for his family and they deserve answers and the community of Resolven deserves answers.
“The intention of myself and the investigation team is to find him and return him to his family as soon as possible.” Anybody with information is asked to call 08000 468999 (free to call from landlines or mobile phones).
