Mum of missing girl dies without finding out what happened to daughter

Heartbroken mother, 77, of missing Nicola Payne who disappeared aged 18 in 1991 has died without finding out what happened to her daughter

• Nicola was 18 when she vanished while walking across wasteland in Coventry 
• Her mother Marilyn, 77, has died without knowing what happened to Nicola

The heartbroken mother of missing Nicola Payne who disappeared more than 30 years ago has died without finding out what happened to her daughter.

Nicola, then 18, vanished in thick fog while walking across wasteland in Coventry, on what should have been a five minute journey to her parents house, at around midday on December 14, 1991.

Despite numerous searches of properties, rivers and woodland over the years no trace of her body has ever been found.

Her parents Marilyn and John never gave up and held regular appeals, urging the public to help them find their daughter.

But today it was confirmed her beloved mother Marilyn, 77, has died without knowing what happened to Nicola.

Marilyn and John Payne from Walsgrave, Coventry whose daughter Nicola went missing on the 14 December 1991

Nicola had left her seven-month-old son Owen with her boyfriend Jason Cooke at his home to visit her mother and father – but never made it 

Writing on the Find Nicola Payne Facebook page, her family said: ‘Nicola’s family are devastated to announce the death of her mum, Marilyn Payne.

‘A tenacious woman who never gave up on finding her daughter and laying her to rest.

‘The bravery she showed was extraordinary, and now her determination will continue through her family and many friends in order to finally bring Nicola home.’

Marilyn and husband John, also 77, last made a public appeal for information in 2021 on the 30th anniversary of Nicola’s disappearance.

Nicola had left her seven-month-old son Owen with her boyfriend Jason Cooke at his home to visit her mother and father who lived a five-minute walk away.

She made her way across wasteland known as Black Pad but never made it to her parents home.

Despite excavations and searches of gardens, land, a canal and a lake in the Coventry area between 1996 and 2014, no trace of her has been found.

The search for what happened to Nicola has been given fresh impetus with a £100,000 reward from an anonymous donor.

Marilyn and John never gave up and held regular appeals, urging the public to help them find their daughter

Nicola Payne with her son Owen, 10 weeks before she disappeared

Police teams searching a section of canal, near Rugby, Warwickshire as part of the investigation

Read more: Police probing disappearance of 18-year-old mother

After hearing about the family’s desperate search for their daughter, private detectives agreed to help hunt for her in 2018.

Investigative reporter Mark Williams-Thomas and forensic search specialist Peter Faulding – who this year tried to help find mother-of-two Nicola Bulley, offered their services for free after hearing of the family’s plight.

But despite several searches, the case went cold.

Several arrests have been made over the years but a bungled police investigation and a 2015 court case resulted in two suspects being acquitted.

The family’s campaign for answers will now be led by Nicola’s brothers Scott, 55, and Nigel, 57, and her cousin Amanda Eales, 42.

Marilyn (right) has died at the age of 77 without ever finding out what happened to her daughter (left)

Speaking on the 30th anniversary, Amanda said Nicola was ‘the big sister I never had’.

She said: ‘I was eight years younger than Nicky, and I really looked up to her.

‘She had everything to live for. She completely adored her son – and everyone who knew her loved her.

‘Everyone’s life took a different turn the day she disappeared, and we are still here, 30 years later, trying to find answers.

‘We are a big family and there is always a birthday or anniversary to celebrate. There is always an empty space where Nicola should be.’

Anyone with information about Nicola’s disappearance can contact West Midlands Police on 101 or via its Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight.

Alternatively they can call Crimestoppers confidentially on 0800 555 111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

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