THE FAMILY of missing teenager Richard Okorogheye have suggested their concerns were not taken seriously by police officers at first.

Speaking to Sky News, Richard’s parents Evidence Joel and Newton Okorogheye said they were not “taken seriously” by the police when they reported their son’s disappearance.

She said: “I told a police officer that my son was missing, please help me find him, and she said ‘if you can’t find your son, how do you expect police officers to find your son for you?’

“I was expecting assurance. My son was missing and it broke my heart.”

Although Richard is reported to have sickle cell, he was not considered high-risk until he had been missing for six days, Sky News reports.

In a statement, Metropolitan police claimed they were becoming “increasingly concerned” for Richard’s welfare.

The 19-year-old, an IT student at Oxford Brookes University had told his mother he was going to see a friend when he left his family home in the Ladbroke Grove area on the evening of Monday March 22.

Police say that from their enquiries, they have identified him leaving his home address at around 8.30pm on the aforementioned date.

On March 24, his family reported that he was missing to police.

The teenager is known to frequent the Westminster and Hammersmith and Fulham areas.

Chief Inspector Clare McCarthy of the Met’s Central West Command Unit said: “Our officers have been working tirelessly to locate Richard, using all investigative opportunities and data enquires, speaking with witnesses and trawling CCTV.

“We are following every lead possible and are appealing for the public to help us in our work. If you may have seen Richard, please contact police.

“If Richard is safe and well, we ask him to contact us as a matter of urgency so that we can put his family’s minds at ease.”