Missing Daniel: his last message 'was normal'

THE family of a Plymouth man last seen on December 8 have released the ‘normal’ picture and message he sent his mother just two days before he went missing.

- CARL EVE

Since then they have pleaded for him to make contact with them and queried why his last sighting was in St Ives, Cornwall, despite him having no links to the area. In addition, his mother has written a moving post, celebrating his birthday (on April 13) and urging him to come home.

In January The Herald reported on how his loved ones were becoming increasingly worried as each day passed, with mum Karran Minchinton and brother Jake Hughes ‘unable to sleep’. Police enquiries have continued into the 35-year-old’s disappearance, with the last confirmed sighting at 1.38pm on December 8.

CCTV showed him walking towards the coastal path at Porthmeor Beach, St Ives, in Cornwall. Karran, 57, and Jake, 30, believe Daniel could be “hiding”, or have fallen ill. They say they believe he planned to return home on the day he went missing, as he had a return train ticket and had taken his phone charger and shower gel. They’ve urged him to come home, or just get in touch to say he’s ok.

Daniel had a get-together with his family in November 2023, on Jake’s birthday, just weeks before he disappeared. Karran said that Daniel seemed ‘absolutely fine’ and that in the months before he disappeared ‘he was in a good mood and upbeat’.

The last time Karran had any contact with Daniel was on Wednesday, December 6 2023. She said on that day ‘he seemed fine’ and he was joking on the phone.