'I knew Dad was dead; nobody believed me'

The daughter of a man whose body was found two months after he went missing wants police to be investigated independently over the case.

Police told a newspaper Lee Bowman, from Nottinghamshire, was "alive and well" before his body was found.

His daughter Corrina also said an officer was rude to her in a phonecall she recorded and has given to the BBC.

She said she received an apology for the phonecall but still wants a wider investigation.

However, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said one of the police forces involved should investigate themselves.

"I think I'll probably live the rest of my life not knowing what happened to Dad," said Corrina, who is 21.

By the time her father's body was found, in January, it was so decomposed police told the family the cause of death could not be determined.

"Had we been listened to from when Dad had actually gone missing, his body could have been located. We wouldn't be sat here now wondering how he died," she added.

Police were quoted in the article claiming Lee Bowman was "alive and well"

Mr Bowman, who was 44 and from Ollerton, went missing on the evening of 31 October after going to visit a woman in Thurcroft in South Yorkshire.

His parents reported him missing to Nottinghamshire Police, and it was one of their officers who Miss Bowman felt was rude to her.

In a phonecall on 18 November he asked her: "Do you want me to help you find your father or not?"

He then read out a comment from Facebook, which contained swearing, and accused Miss Bowman of posting this.

Miss Bowman said the officer's sergeant has since apologised to her and accepted the comment had been posted by another Facebook user.

"I was just met with quite a rude officer who didn't really seem that interested in looking for Dad," Miss Bowman said.

Corrina Bowman, shown here with her father and younger sister, does not know how her father died

The article claiming Mr Bowman was still alive was published on 6 December.

A police spokesperson was quoted as saying: "We can confirm that a missing person investigation was launched by SYP [South Yorkshire Police] following a report from Nottinghamshire Police that there had been sightings in our force area.

"Inquiries established that the person in question is alive and well, however did not wish to engage further with our officers. After the individual was located, and it was established he was alive and well, our investigation was closed."

Mr Bowman was eventually found dead in the garden of a home in Thurcroft on 3 January, less than half a mile from the home of the woman he had visited on 31 October.

It is not known how he got there or why it took so long for his body to be found.

Miss Bowman said she was "distraught" when she read the article and tried to take her own life six days later, on 12 December.

"I really knew Dad had died," she said.

"Seeing that article, knowing it was a lie, I knew they hadn't spoken to Dad.

"I think the not being believed and the desperation to find Dad, it drove us all to be unwell, to have to go through that for 64 days."

Miss Bowman said she knew her father was dead because he was not using his bank account, and he usually stayed in regular contact.

She was sectioned under the Mental Health Act for her own safety and was still in hospital when she received a phonecall saying her father's body had been found.

Corrina Bowman said she knew her father was dead because he usually stayed in contact

The case was referred to the IOPC but it decided a local investigation should be conducted by South Yorkshire Police instead.

An IOPC spokesperson said: "Our thoughts go out to all Lee Bowman's family and friends following his tragic death. Our sympathy remains with them.

"After considering the available information in this case, we determined that an investigation into the operation to find Mr Bowman, and whether he might have been located sooner, was required.

"We directed the force to carry out this to ensure all aspects of their investigation were carried out thoroughly and will receive a copy of the investigator's final report, which ensures an appropriate level of independent scrutiny of the matter."

Lee Bowman, shown here as a child with his mother, was reported missing by his parents

Nottinghamshire Police asked the BBC to contact South Yorkshire Police for a comment.

A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police said: "The matter has been referred to our Professional Standards Department and the investigation is currently ongoing.

"We are currently awaiting the coroner's file. While we await the coroner's file, inquiries are ongoing within our Professional Standards Department, and we will await any findings from the coronial investigation.

"We cannot make any further comment at this time until that has happened."