Georgina Gharsallah disappearance: Mum's 'fear of moving on'

Georgina Gharsallah has been missing since 7 March 2018

The mother of a woman who went missing three years ago says it is "hard to move forward" for the fear of "leaving her behind".

Georgina Gharsallah was last seen in Worthing, West Sussex, on 7 March 2018. A murder inquiry began in August 2019.

Sussex Police admitted "mistakes" had been made in the search for her.

Ms Gharsallah's mother, Andrea, said: "When I plan to do things with my other daughters you feel guilty because Georgina isn't here."

"Not knowing what has happened to Georgina has held us back in life. It's hard to move forward through the fear of leaving Georgina behind. I can't ever leave her behind.

"Not a day goes by that she is absent from our thoughts and we urge people to come forward with information."

The last sighting of Georgina Gharsallah on the day she vanished was at a shop in Clifton Road

Ms Gharsallah was 30 years old when she was last seen on CCTV footage in a shop on Clifton Road.

She had arranged to meet her father, Gasem, after collecting a mobile phone, but she did not turn up.

He said: "Sometimes I can't sleep when I think about what has happened to my daughter Georgina.

"I would be very, very happy to see my daughter again."

Georgina had been due to meet her father Gasem

In September Sussex Police referred itself to a watchdog over the probe into the disappearance of the mother-of-two.

The force admitted there had been "significant missed opportunities" in the way CCTV evidence had been handled, which had resulted in some footage being "lost to the investigation".

Appeals describe Ms Gharsallah as an Arabic speaker, 5ft 2in (1.57m) tall, with shoulder-length dark hair often worn in a top knot, and a piercing above her left lip.

Police have investigated more than 70 reported sightings of Ms Gharsallah but none has proven to be her, a force spokesman said.

Det Ch Insp Andy Wolstenholme said: "We continue to investigate all viable lines of inquiry and encourage anyone with information, no matter how small, to come forward."

Crimestoppers is offering a £10,000 reward for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of any person responsible for causing Georgina's death.

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