Found Deceased UK - Nicola Bulley Last Seen Walking Dog Near River - St Michaels on Wyre (Lancashire) #14

[Ched]

There's a timing thing though. How they shouldn't find out about the possibility is by some other kid in the playground.

I hope they get some closure one way or another, and Paul and the kids need to be getting therapy.

JMO.

We’d got to the stage that if some child in a playground was going to say something upsetting to her children (and that’s what is upsetting people) there was more chance of a child saying did your “dad” do something to your mum , someone has killed your mum , someone took your mum rather than “your mum drank” … that’s how awful the speculation has become.

 

[jackal67]

Whatever incident happened on Jan 10th probably has some connection IMO. I can perhaps imagine a call from PA being made to the police reporting NB was drunk and threatening to end her life, as young kids were present and she had serious mental health issues they took extra support from mental health workers. I have been in a domestic abuse situation involving alcohol and the police were called with a child present - social services were not involved. Unless she tried to harm anybody in the house that day (other than herself) I think they would just try and refer her for councelling and help rather than any legal or socialwork. Her employer also probably would not be aware unless it was a criminal matter and even if she was an alcoholic they would have to offer support. I am late to this so apologies if this has been discussed already. I don't think she is in the river though MOO

But they fit well to me.
Taking the children to school then the dog for a walk are normal reasons to leave the house and be out in the countryside by the river without anyone asking questions or seeing anything out of the ordinary.
Ditto logging on to the work call means that work would note your presence at 9.01am and still logged on at 9.30, hence not speaking and not on camera - so she did not need to be present, leave the phone by the bench, so no-one would be worried,
This suggests to me a logical thought out plan from someone who did not want to be stopped or found.
And I don't think the dog was overlooked at all as has been suggested by other posters, phone and dog by the bench where they would both be found and easily identified, plenty of people walking in that area, just time to walk away and out of sight ?

 

[pineapple23]

I'm not PFs biggest fan because I do think he loves the sound of his own voice and blowing his own trumpet, but I think he has the right to be annoyed about this. Facts such as those revealed yesterday do make a difference and I wouldn't blame anyone, PF or otherwise, for feeling mislead.

I still wish he'd step back and put a filter on his mouth, of course.

Exactly this. Imo they could have said, we can't go into detail but she is vulnerable. Please treat this as confidential. Maybe they felt they just couldn't trust him?

 

[jackal67]

But they fit well to me.
Taking the children to school then the dog for a walk are normal reasons to leave the house and be out in the countryside by the river without anyone asking questions or seeing anything out of the ordinary.
Ditto logging on to the work call means that work would note your presence at 9.01am and still logged on at 9.30, hence not speaking and not on camera - so she did not need to be present, leave the phone by the bench, so no-one would be worried,
This suggests to me a logical thought out plan from someone who did not want to be stopped or found.
And I don't think the dog was overlooked at all as has been suggested by other posters, phone and dog by the bench where they would both be found and easily identified, plenty of people walking in that area, just time to walk away and out of sight ?

I agree with all you have written. This has been my theory from the get go. Of course it is JMO

 

[Goldilox]

Do you know what happened to the drink bottle? If it’s in the car the police will know if it had contained alcohol as some think it might have.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

Exactly this. Imo they could have said, we can't go into detail but she is vulnerable. Please treat this as confidential. Maybe they felt they just couldn't trust him?

But if the police were trying to respect PA's wishes by not initially divulging the information, and PA was the one who brought in PF without giving him the full story... ugh, the situation is messy.

 

[BaronessWombat]

Exactly this. Imo they could have said, we can't go into detail but she is vulnerable. Please treat this as confidential. Maybe they felt they just couldn't trust him?

Equally they could have asked him to cover all bases and search as if she's jumped or fell, or he could have done this off his own back. I would assume the police divers would have been on the look out for alcohol bottles too.

 

[vchk]

For what its worth, I can't and won't judge NB, or her family, based on what's been said in the last 24 hours. Life is tough, and covid, constant misery on the news etc. financial difficulties, hormonal issues, whatever are part of life. There's nothing to be ashamed of, if a person is struggling, and it sounds like NB was possibly struggling. Empathy is what's required, and a bit of 'there but for the grace of God go I'. I had a post deleted as it breached site rules, so I won't go into details, but I have experienced struggling family members as a child, and it was brushed under the carpet, as something to be embarrassed about, its nothing to be embarrassed about. I think the police statements are just adding some context, to a horrible situation, and it does not paint a negative picture of NB, or her family. Life can be tough.

I completely agree!!
My dad had significant MH issues all through my life until he passed away when I was 27, I was brought up in a village and entire village was aware of my dad's MH issues (don't want to go into further details).

but thanks to my incredible mum who always taught me not to be embarrassed and its completely normal.

 

[Rusty Braincells]

Who are you suggesting is judging here, me? If that is the case you are completely incorrect.

I didn’t read your post that way, for what it’s worth. To me, you expressed the reality of alcoholic blackout / disinhibition / “care” levels. Most people who drink have said or done something they wouldn’t when sober. That problem compounded over time can mean more and more out-of-character actions. It doesn’t make someone a bad person but how higher levels of intoxication can work. It’s also, as has been rightfully said here, how it can work (not paying so much attention to things previously important) if someone is feeling suicidal. MOO

 

[sriraaacha]

I'm wondering if they didn't release the 'vulnerable' details in the beginning so that the case would get more media attention? There was an element of mystery to it (and there still is) and that's what captivated people. I just can't think of another reason as to why they wouldn't imo.

 

[Ched]

Respectfully, just because they need to know, it doesn't mean we need to know.

It is a big deal actually that the whole world knows about their mum's "medical issues" as you've put it. And that these girls will know that we know.

"My mum went missing when I was younger" as opposed to "My alcoholic menopausal mum went missing when I was younger" - which version do you think they would prefer?

I prefer the version in better language of your bottom option . The one where contributing medical conditions are likely to be involved IF there’s no 3rd party involvement. I highlighted “medical issues” as that’s what they are & for some reason people want to highlight them as something not be talked about or ashamed about .

(And yes I realise the term “alcoholic” is being used even though that’s not a term used by the police )

 

[vchk]

I'm wondering if they didn't release the 'vulnerable' details in the beginning so that the case would get more media attention? There was an element of mystery to it (and there still is) and that's what captivated people. I just can't think of another reason as to why they wouldn't imo.

yes I can see that too, I am with police on this

 

[IKnowNowt]

I agree with all you have written. This has been my theory from the get go. Of course it is JMO

I certainly get where people are coming from, re leaving Willow where she would probably be found. Even if, as a dog owner, the mere thought of me doing that gives me a surge of anxiety from the pit of my stomach. I could never imagine a situation where I could do that. But thankfully I've never had to.

 

[CriLondon]

One thing of note that I haven't read was what the police said about Willow being able to exit out of the area if he'd wanted to.

---

Reporter - But, was more interested in the gate and path leading away from there than the actual water?

SIO - At that time, when the witness found Willow, was between the bench and the gate. However, I have to point out, the dog could have got out from there.

---

This is very important and makes me re-think certain aspects .
It didn't seem possible to do this with relative ease , especially if there was no distress .

 

[mrjitty]

It doesn't but would it not be a concern?

Depends on specifics?

I feel like people are jumping straight in with the idea that alcohol problems means drinking vodka for breakfast. It's quite common to have a drinking problem after 6pm for example - an entire wine mummy stereotype is built around it.

 

[Rusty Braincells]

Is this a wind up?

I am not sure I understand your post, but I was replying to someone who implied there would be some kind of shame or issue attached to publicity that Nicola was experiencing menopause. I don’t see that.

You may think medical issues should be kept private, and I understand that perspective, but mentioning menopause doesn’t — or certainly shouldn’t — cause shame for Nicola or her family. Neither does saying she struggled with it IMO. Menopause is a fact of life for pretty much every woman who reaches a certain age. I understand not wanting to broadcast it, but there’s nothing negative about it as a fact.

 

[Purplepixii]

Ugh, I struggled to sleep last night after the "alcoholic menopausal" info released by the police. I am so damn ANGRY at them! If they hadn't kept harping on about "vulnerabilities" in yesterday morning's press conference they wouldn't have needed to release such personal information!

MOO: Because the police kept mentioning vulnerabilities yesterday morning a reporter/reporters went digging, found out what they were, called the press office and said "we know what Nicola's vulnerabilities are and we will publish them at X o'clock" (giving the police a chance to get in there first & release the info).

What has knowing the vulnerabilities got us? Or any witnesses? Nothing! It adds nothing of substance to the search or pleas for witnesses/dashcam footage. I thought personal information was just that - personal. I am so angry for Nicola's family & friends - releasing personal information that has zero bearing on the search/investigation was poor form by the police (at a time when they're hard to trust already thanks to recent events).

 

[mrjitty]

It's private information, medical information is protected data under GDPR. I don't know how the Police can justify releasing it on that point alone.
Whilst there's no shame regarding alcohol or menopause problems, I still wonder why they chose to release this info and I don't agree that they should have shared it, on principle.If anything it will create more speculation IMO.

This is info that would normally be shared during an inquest and not of a missing person.

If anything it undermines the trust in Police further IMO

I suspect the media were going to run with the info so they got ahead of it.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

This is very important and makes me re-think certain aspects .
It didn't seem possible to do this with relative ease , especially if there was no distress .

In this picture you can see the small stile gate right next to the bench. I'm not sure Willow could have got past the main kissing gate, but IMO a dog could easily get past the stile and then make their way back to the main path through the undergrowth.

 

[Rusty Braincells]

Depends on specifics?

I feel like people are jumping straight in with the idea that alcohol problems means drinking vodka for breakfast. It's quite common to have a drinking problem after 6pm for example - an entire wine mummy stereotype is built around it.

Equally I think a lot of people have extrapolated NB may only have drunk as much as they do and didn’t have destructive drinking patterns, and she’s being unfairly judged. It could have been either way around to be honest. I hope the police have an idea of actual patterns and not something vague.