Sunday marks Andrea Gharsallah’s eighth Mother’s Day without knowing what happened to her missing daughter.
Georgina Gharsallah, aged 30 at the time, called, “Bye mummy, love you,” and agreed she’d see her mother later before leaving Andrea’s Worthing home on 7 March 2018 – and they haven’t seen each other since.
“Every day I think of her,” Andrea told The Independent. “Because she’s in the house, there are pictures everywhere. I feel close to her. I have things that are always close [that remind me of her]. I think about her every day.”
Andrea cares for Georgina’s two sons, now aged 15 and 16.
The 64-year-old said the family, which also includes her other three daughters, are always looking for new ways to commemorate Georgina, mark occasions and raise awareness of her story.
“We’d set the table at Christmas for her, get presents,” she said. “We do something on her birthday – we get a cake, and I like to take the boys somewhere, perhaps go into the countryside for a special walk. Little things like that to keep continuing as though she was still here.
“Because I think if I didn’t do it, it’s like forgetting Mummy or forgetting my daughter and accepting that she’s not coming back, or accepting that she’s no longer here. I won’t ever accept that, even though I do feel that she possibly has come to some harm.”
On the day Georgina disappeared, Andrea said her daughter told her she was going into town to get her phone fixed and run some other errands, but she never returned.
A police investigation was launched, but the only substantial lead over the years was the arrest of two men on suspicion of Georgina’s murder in the weeks after she went missing. However, they were released without charge.
There were a few potential sightings over the years but none confirmed, according to Andrea.
To mark the eighth anniversary of Georgina’s disappearance last week, Andrea sourced roses called “Georgia” and “Child of Mine”, which she planted in the section of her other daughter’s allotment that they’ve named “Georgina’s Secret Garden” with a wooden plaque.
For Mother’s Day on Sunday, Andrea’s other daughters will likely visit her for tea and cake, and will all bring something to enjoy, like they used to do with Georgina there.
“You always know and sense that part of the family is missing – you almost feel guilty for being together because Georgina is not there, and you don’t know what happened to her or where she is,” Andrea said.
She plans to drive with her grandchildren somewhere to do “something special”. Often on Mother’s Day, they release balloons on the beach along with some words for Georgina. “It’s sad, but also I think I’m keeping that connection to Mummy for them,” she said.
Andrea recalled last Mother’s Day when one of her grandsons said to her: “I don’t think we’re ever going to find Mummy.”
She told The Independent: “That was hard, it hit me quite hard, for him to say that.
“And a couple of years ago, the other said, ‘I can’t remember my mummy’s voice,’ and that really hit me quite hard. I said, ‘Try to think of special memories,’ and he said, ‘I can’t.’”
Sussex Police has been contacted for comment.
Families are taking part in a Light the Way walk for charity Missing People to mark Mother’s Day on Sunday. Sponsored walks can take place any time in March to help raise awareness and support for people who are missing and those who miss them.
Missing People has now launched its new SafeCall service, a national lifeline designed to support the 72,000 children who go missing in the UK every year. The Independent reached its £165,000 fundraising target in January, enabling the free, confidential, round-the-clock service to go live.
Andrea said: “When you look back and think about it, you think, where have the eight years gone? I’ve been doing this for eight years, trying to keep her memory and story alive.
“For me, it’s really important I keep on doing it … It takes over your life and becomes your life. That’s the main priority in your life: finding answers and creating awareness. You feel like you haven’t got a life any more except this. I can’t stop – I need to carry on until we find answers, if we ever find any.”
Detective Superintendent Andy Wolstenholme said: “We still desperately want to get to the truth of what happened to Georgina and have carried out extensive enquiries over the years, including visiting more than 900 properties, examining almost 400 exhibits, and speaking to more than 2,000 members of the public, in Worthing and beyond. We will continue to investigate any viable lines of enquiry.
“In August 2019, I recorded Georgina’s disappearance as a homicide to reflect the total absence of contact with anyone from her family or friends, or any of the traces of activity that we would expect to find in the ordinary course of a person’s life. Sadly, we have to consider the possibility that Georgina has come to harm at the hands of another.
“I share Georgina’s family’s frustration that, despite exhaustive investigations, we don’t know what happened to her on that day in 2018.”
A Crimestoppers reward of £20,000 for information that helps Georgina’s case remains in place. They can be contacted online or on 0800 555 111, or police can be reached online or on 101, quoting Operation Pavo.
Please donate now to The Independent and Missing People’s SafeCall campaign, which has raised £165,000 to create a free, nationwide service helping vulnerable children find safety and support
For advice, support and options if you or a child you love goes missing, contact safecall.org.uk
