The parents of Lee Boxell haven’t changed anything in his bedroom since the day he vanished from their lives in September 1988 when he was 15. He would be 34 now – and his broken hearted mother wonders if she has walked past him in the street and not recognised him.
In their campaign, Lee’s family managed to break new ground for other missing children as before their case only missing girls made it into the Press. And Lee’s disappearance was given nationwide coverage following an exhaustive police search.
Lee left his home in Cheam to meet up with a friend in Sutton, Surrey. Lee and his friend spent the morning window-shopping. Towards the end of the morning Lee said he might go to Selhurst Park to watch a football match and the boys parted in Sutton High street. No-one has seen Lee since.
Nobody knows if he ever got to the game. Lee’s parents left leaflets all over the ground but nobody reported seeing him. Footballer John Fashanu made a TV appeal and T’Pau singer Carol Decker did the same at gigs but to no avail.
His family have desperately continued their search for him over the last 17 years, trying to keep his name in the Press in case anyone saw him. His disappearance was featured in The Sun too.
His photo was even published on milk cartons in Iceland. It’s a shame that doesn’t that happen any more, I wonder how effective it was. But why Iceland, I wonder.
Here are some heartbreaking quotes from a local newspaper interview two years ago:
“Lee’s parents Christine and Peter and his younger sister Lindsay, now 29, are desperate to find out what happened. Appeals in the past have not turned up any genuine sightings.
Christine said: “The National Missing Persons Helpline have been fantastic and got Iceland to put Lee’s picture on their milk cartons, but I just wish all supermarkets did the same.
“We’re not expecting anyone to call but we just have to try anything and clutch at straws in the hope that someone will know him.
“Obviously it’s hard when someone dies, but for someone to go missing it’s just so hard. Lee’s grandparents went to their graves not knowing what happened to him.”
In their campaign, the family managed to break new ground for other missing children, because before their case only missing girls made it into the Press.
But Lee’s story and picture was in every national newspaper, on television, on the side of Body Shop vans, and in Soul Asylum’s pop video for the song The Missing.
His parents, to this day, are still unable to change anything in his room. It is exactly as he left it in 1988.”
In memory of those who are still missing.
Ellee, I think they meant ‘Iceland’ the frozen food store, rather than Iceland the country.
Well done on this ongoing campaign.
DAvid, silly me, now that makes sense. I never use the store, that’s why it was not uppermost in my mind.
Ah! You see I just can’t get out of my head those ads with the annoyingly perky Kerry Catona (?) insisting “Mums go to Iceland!” Clearly, you’re one mum who doesn’t!
I used to joke with my boys about popping to Iceland to buy their favourite southern fried chicken, but now you can buy it anywhere. I have visited Iceland, btw, and just on a day trip. That made a more memorable impresion, especially the Blue Lagoon 🙂
i think he killed him self, im doing this as home work in drama he sent a mesage to his mum and dad on the phone and it said “this is the news. millhall is playing at home today and the body of a missing boy has been found in a lake. he said it as a news reporta
I am sorry Lee went missing, i hope he is found, my son lee boxell was born on 2nd September 1988, i just felt that was strange coming on to this site seeing a lad with the same name and went missing on my son birth date. God bless you, hope your found
I only google searched my name after searching others I know and then found this article page which jogged my memory of a another Lee Boxells’ disappearence. Believe it or not my name is Lee Boxell (31). I didn’t see one half of my family for a long spell of time which was from before Lee went missing and the family I didnt see thought it was me that was missing around that time! I feel really sorry for Lee’s parents and sister and family and wish they could have some news of him, hopefully good news and that he is safe and well obviously, but if it is bad then at least they will know where he is and perhaps what happened to him. Missing people should get press etc. and be on milk bottles, egg cartons, bread packaging and other everyday goods. My guess is someone to this day knows where Lee is…..
My name is Aurelie and and write from France, sorry for my bad english.
Since I were a little girl, I felt very concern by missing children, I don’t know why, but it’s like this. I read but I don’t understand everything, sorry about that. I’m a mother of 2 children now and can’t imagine your pain because I not in your place but be sure in my heart of mother is broken when I imagine your distress. I hope a next time you know the thruth about your son, I hope he is alive, sincerely.
With all my affection,
Aurelie