A 36-year-old woman has been charged with the murder of her 70-year-old mother following a months-long disappearance earlier this year.
Emma Nightingale and her mother, Lorna Nightingale, were both reported missing in separate incidents. Lorna was last seen in Lowestoft in February, while Emma vanished from Colchester in June. The disappearances, occurring four months apart and 65 miles from each other, prompted Suffolk Police to launch a major search on August 24.
Although both were initially reported as “safe and well” on September 30, it has now emerged that Emma Nightingale has been charged with her mother’s murder.
Emergency services responded to Blackhorse Road in Walthamstow, London, on December 11 after reports of an unresponsive woman. Lorna Nightingale was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities believe she may have died at any point between November 1 and December 11.
Emma Nightingale, whose address was listed in court as Blackhorse Road, Walthamstow, was taken into custody and appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court on December 13. She is due to appear at the Old Bailey in London on January 9.
The search for the Nightingales lasted over a month, involving multiple units including the County Policing Command, Missing Person Advisors, Technical Support Unit, Surveillance Unit, and Intelligence Unit. Partner agencies and charities, including the British Transport Police, also assisted. At the time of the search, police expressed “particular concerns” for the wellbeing of both women, noting that they were reportedly linked to Essex.
