A woman in her 30s is the second person to be arrested over the murder of a missing 17-year-old girl, who vanished in July.
Bernadette Walker’s parents reported her missing on July 21 after she had not been seen at her Peterborough home for three days.
On Friday, Cambridgeshire Police launched a ‘no body’ murder investigation after extensive search operations found no sign of the teenager.
A 50-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder yesterday and remains in custody.
A woman in her 30s became the second person to be arrested, when police took her into custody on suspicion of murder on Saturday evening.
Police were seen searching Bernadette’s family home in the Millfield district of Peterborough today.
Bernadette Walker (pictured), 17, was reported missing from Peterborough on July 21 after she had not been seen for three days. Two people have now been arrested in connection after police launched a murder investigation
Police were seen outside Bernadette’s family home in Millfield, Peterborough on Sunday, as a man and a woman remain in custody on suspicion of murder
Bernadette Walker, 17, pictured with her father Scott Walker. Bernadette’s parents reported her missing on July 21 after she had not been seen at her Peterborough home for three days
Bernadette’s parents Sarah Walker, 39, and Scott Walker, 50, reportedly told police that they last saw her on July 18 when she ran out of their car.
Ms Walker said that her daughter texted her nearly two days later, at 1am on July 20, to say that she would be returning ‘soon’ to the family’s five bedroom council home in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.
Bernadette’s parents reported her missing to police the following day on July 21 when they told officers that they had heard nothing more from her.
Mother-of-nine Ms Walker, who had a baby girl around six-months-ago, distributed posters around Peterborough to appeal for information about her missing daughter who loved goth and punk music.
Specialist forensic officers were seen going in and out of the house along with a police dog handler and a spaniel sniffer dog
A ‘no body’ murder investigation was declared on Friday after all search operations failed, police from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit revealed. Pictured, Bernadette with her baby sister
In August Ms Walker told PeterboroughMatters.com: ‘I can’t eat or sleep properly. I miss and love my eldest princess so much, she’s missing out on her baby sister, who has learned to smile and coo already.’
She revealed she hadn’t had any contact from her daughter since 1am on July 20, when Bernadette text her to say she was on her way home.
Police officers were today standing guard outside the family’s modern terraced home which was cordoned off with police tape.
Specialist forensic officers were seen going in and out of the house along with a police dog handler and her spaniel sniffer dog.
A neighbour of Bernadette’s parents, who asked not to be named, said today: ‘They are really lovely and always smiling.
‘They are a good family and had just had a baby girl. There were a lot of children – but they seemed to cope fine. They were always looking out for their children
‘I spoke to them after Bernadette went missing to wish them all the best and they were really gutted about it.
Police were standing guard outside the 17-year-old’s home today. On Friday Cambridgeshire Police launched a ‘no body’ murder investigation
Bernadette is described as medium build with half brown, half gingery blonde hair
‘I messaged her when the news came out about a suspect man being arrested and she said she had just come back from giving a statement to police. I just told her that I hoped everything goes well.’
DCI Jerry Waite said: ‘Due to the length of time Bernadette has been missing and concerns she may have come to some harm, we made the decision to declare this a murder investigation yesterday morning.
‘Whilst we hope we do find Bernadette alive and well, there is every possibility this may not be the case therefore my team and I will do everything possible to find out what has happened to her and bring any offenders to justice.’
Bernadette ran out of her car parents car on July 18, she contacted her family two days later, but was reported missing the following day.
Bernadette hasn’t accessed social media since and no friends have heard from her.
Her family originally thought she may have taken spare clothes with her, but have since found the items under the schoolgirl’s bed.
Bernadette is described as medium build with half brown, half gingery blonde hair.
She has facial piercings and two homemade tattoos.
Anyone with information on Bernadette’s whereabouts or what has happened to her is urged to contact police either by using the online webchat function, or by calling 101 and quoting Operation Penshaw.