- Published
When Leah Croucher's body was found three years after she went missing, her family thought their torture would end.
asserted
torture → publish → ?
Instead it continued with conspiracy theories, fear and heartbreak haunting their lives.
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theories → continue → lives
The 19-year-old was walking to work on 15 February 2019 when she disappeared.
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she → walk → February
Her parents say they went through more than three years of "absolute torture" before her dismembered body was discovered in a house in Milton Keynes, less than half a mile (0.8km) from her home in 2022.
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body → say → 2022
She had been killed by a repeat sex offender Neil Maxwell, a man who her parents have branded "an animal".
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parents → kill → who
Despite overwhelming evidence of Maxwell's guilt, her parents Claire and John say they have been subjected to "devastating" speculation online, with some pointing the finger at her brother.
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some → say → brother
Leah's parents are now calling for 'Leah's Law', a mandatory minimum sentence for anyone convicted of a third sexual offence.
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parents → call → offence
Haydon Croucher took his own life nine months after his sister went missing.
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sister → take → life
Leah's parents say he struggled to cope with not knowing what had happened to her.
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what → say → her
The Crouchers believe Leah's Law would have saved Leah and by extension Haydon.
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Law → believe → extension
Leah was the "perfect daughter" say her parents.
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parents → say → ?
"She was a very shy, home-loving girl," says her dad but had a "brilliant sense of humour" once she opened up, adds her mum.
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mum → love → humour
Leah Croucher's parents last saw her at the family home on Quantock Crescent at 22:00 GMT on 14 February.
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parents → see → February
For three years and nine months they went through "absolute torture", says John before her body was found less than half-a-mile from the family home.
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body → go → home
On 10 October 2022, police received a phone call, which led them to the loft of a house on Loxbeare Drive, where they found Leah's dismembered body in plastic bags along with some of her belongings.
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they → receive → belongings
She was identified through dental records.
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She → identify → records
More than seven years after Leah's disappearance Claire says she still fears that what happened to Leah could happen again to Leah's sister and will not leave the house alone.
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happened → say → house
"What I want to know is when I go out tonight to go to the shop to buy some milk, am I going to get home again?
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I → want → milk
"Because that's my main fear, I don't go out on my own.
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I → go → own
We don't make Jade go out on her own because we know that some days people don't come back.
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people → make → own
"We've got to remember Leah could have been anyone's daughter, anyone's mum, sister, child," says Claire.
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Claire → get → ?
Family targeted by conspiracy theorists and hoaxes
The Crouchers say the impact of the internet sleuths debating if Haydon had been involved destroyed them at times.
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Haydon → target → times
"Because at the end of the day Haydon loved his sister so much he gave his own life because he couldn't cope with not knowing what happened to her," says Claire.
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Claire → love → her
Claire says the family, who have taken part in a new documentary about the case, have spoken out "to clear his name".
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who → say → name
Similarly John says they want to make sure people know "what a monster [Maxwell] was".
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Maxwell → say → ?
He branded him "an animal".
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He → brand → him
"I won't even mention his name.
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I → mention → name
He's just a disgusting, vile, horrible creature," he says.
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he → say → ?
Before Leah's remains were found, the family's torment was also magnified by internet trolls creating fake social media accounts pretending to be her.
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torment → find → accounts
Many targeted her sister, Jade.
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Many → target → sister
Another woman called pretending to be Leah the morning after Haydon died.
"Jade was woken up by a female voice saying that it was Leah and that she couldn't believe Haydon had died, but she didn't know how to come home and face us all...
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she → call → us
it's just disbelief that somebody could do that.
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somebody → do → that
Why do they think that's funny?
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that → think → ?
What were they trying to gain?"
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they → try → What
There is no doubt in her parents' minds that Maxwell killed and sexually assaulted their daughter.
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Maxwell → be → daughter
He was named by police as the prime suspect.
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He → name → suspect
His handprints were on the loft hatch and bags where Leah's remains were found.
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remains → find → hatch
And on the saw which was used.
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which → use → saw
There was also DNA evidence left behind which indicated Leah was likely sexually assaulted.
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Leah → be → ?
"His DNA was all over everything and people still say it's easy to fit a dead man up.
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it → say → man
…and 33 more, not listed.
The Aporia
