HUMAN remains pulled from a river were found to belong to a teen who went missing months ago.
Taylor Charlton, then 14, was reported missing in Barnstaple, Devon, on May 8, prompting a large-scale search operation.
Cops confirmed on July 31 that the human remains found in the River Taw on 24 June belonged to the teen.
His relatives were updated and an investigation into the circumstances of Taylor’s death is ongoing.
Two people who were arrested in connection with his disappearance remain on bail.
Police urged the public not to speculate or share any unconfirmed information online.
They asked that anyone with information that could help the investigation get in touch.
The teen was last spotted heading towards the river in Barnstaple on May 8 near a footpath close to Tarka Leisure Centre.
He was reported missing at around 5.15pm the following day.
His disappearance sparked a major search operation which lasted six weeks before remains were pulled from the river.
His shoes were found roughly 480m apart on consecutive days within the first week of the search, which saw helicopters, sonar boats and dive teams deployed.
During the search, his mum Zoe was accused of being complicit in his disappearance.
She was forced to deny her involvement following a torrent of online abuse, with a family friend rushing to call out the “disrespect” after a woman in her 40s was arrested.
Writing on a Facebook group dedicated to finding Taylor, they wrote: “I would like to make it absolutely crystal clear…for everyone that it was not in fact Taylor’s grieving, heartbroken mum that was arrested.”
The distraught mum shared her heartbreak, saying she was “absolutely desperate” for Taylor to return home and insisting that he was “not in trouble”.
Before the remains were found, she said: “I love you so much and I am worried sick about you.”
His dad Alex described him as a “loving, loyal and special lad”.
Two arrests were made on suspicion of murder, including a woman in her 40s on July 2, who was later released on bail.
A man, aged 20, was also arrested and released on bail on June 12, with police confirming it was “one line of enquiry among many”.
A body was pulled from the water two months later on June 24, with a formal identification confirmed today.
