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Police turn to online community to help find missing Penrith teenager and baby

15-year-old Catalina Covaci and her six month old son, Ricardo Photo: Cumbria Police

Fears are growing for a vulnerable young mum and baby from Penrith, who have been missing for over a week.

Cumbria Police are now using Twitter to try and help find 15-year-old Catalina Covaci and her baby son Ricardo.

Police believe the Romanian teenager, who has lived in Penrith for 18 months, will have run out of money and may be at risk.

Anyone with information about Ms Covaci and her son are being asked to use #helpfindcatalina when using Twitter.

The pair were last seen leaving their home on December 19th, when Ms Covaci told her guardians she was going a walk into Penrith town centre.

Police say Catalina travelled on a train from Penrith bound for Manchester Piccadilly which arrived at around 2.40pm the same day.

It's possible that they may have travelled on to Oldham, arriving around 2.30pm.

A photograph of the pair at Penrith train station has been released:

Catalina Covaci and her son Ricardo at Penrith train station Credit: Cumbria Police

Police, along with her guardians, are growing increasingly worried for Catalina and her son Ricardo who have been away from home for over a week.

“She has not made contact with them over Christmas. She is young, vulnerable and with her baby son and is likely to have run out of money by now. They shouldn’t be alone at Christmas and we need the public to help find them.

“We know that Catalina has very strong links with the Romanian and travelling communities so she could have gone anywhere in the country to meet with associates or family members.

"It is likely that someone out there is helping them or knows where they are – and it is very important that you contact us to let us know she is safe.

“Police are urging the people of Cumbria to look again at her photograph and call us if they believe they’ve seen her. Were you in Penrith train station last Wednesday? Do you recognise Catalina?

“She is not in any trouble – we just need to make sure she is safe and well. Please, if you know anything, get in touch with us immediately on 101.”

– Detective Inspector Furzana Nazir, Cumbria Police
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