Charlene Downes, who vanished in Blackpool 20 years ago, remains a victim of circumstance and systemic failure. Twenty years since Charlene's disappearance, there are still many unanswered questions about what happened to her.
The initial investigation into her disappearance was clouded by racist narrative and far-right rhetoric, which has continued to impact the case. In 2007, two men were tried for murder in connection with her disappearance, but a retrial was abandoned due to "grave doubts" about the evidence. The case remains unsolved, and a £100,000 reward is still in place for information that could lead to a conviction.
Charlene's story was reduced to a salacious tale of a "kebab girl," with some claiming that she had been turned into kebab meat by her killers. However, Nicola Thorp, the podcast host, has set out to clear up this speculation and expose how Charlene was repeatedly failed by those around her.
Thorp's investigation reveals a complex web of failures, including classism and misogyny. Charlene's family had been under the watch of social services, and her younger brother would eventually be taken into care. This added complexity to the investigation, with some questioning whether the police took her disappearance seriously enough due to her background.
Thorp also highlights the role of far-right activists in capitalizing on Charlene's story, including a recent instance where Elon Musk retweeted a post that repeated the kebab theory. The podcast has sparked controversy among some in Blackpool, who still believe the two men who were first tried got away with murder.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the case is the way in which potential witnesses have been subjected to hostile online abuse. Charlene's family, including her parents and sister, have been vilified online, while some women who claim they were groomed at the time of her disappearance have spoken out about their own experiences with police.
The podcast has sparked a renewed call for an investigation into the police handling of Charlene's case, as well as a national inquiry into grooming gangs. Thorp believes that witness evidence yet to be unearthed could be vital in solving the case and bringing justice to Charlene's family.
Ultimately, Charlene's story is one of systemic failure and the devastating consequences for those who are failed by the system. As Thorp says, "the truth is lost, and the opportunity to get justice for Charlene is potentially lost" if we allow false narratives and sensationalism to dominate the investigation.
The initial investigation into her disappearance was clouded by racist narrative and far-right rhetoric, which has continued to impact the case. In 2007, two men were tried for murder in connection with her disappearance, but a retrial was abandoned due to "grave doubts" about the evidence. The case remains unsolved, and a £100,000 reward is still in place for information that could lead to a conviction.
Charlene's story was reduced to a salacious tale of a "kebab girl," with some claiming that she had been turned into kebab meat by her killers. However, Nicola Thorp, the podcast host, has set out to clear up this speculation and expose how Charlene was repeatedly failed by those around her.
Thorp's investigation reveals a complex web of failures, including classism and misogyny. Charlene's family had been under the watch of social services, and her younger brother would eventually be taken into care. This added complexity to the investigation, with some questioning whether the police took her disappearance seriously enough due to her background.
Thorp also highlights the role of far-right activists in capitalizing on Charlene's story, including a recent instance where Elon Musk retweeted a post that repeated the kebab theory. The podcast has sparked controversy among some in Blackpool, who still believe the two men who were first tried got away with murder.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the case is the way in which potential witnesses have been subjected to hostile online abuse. Charlene's family, including her parents and sister, have been vilified online, while some women who claim they were groomed at the time of her disappearance have spoken out about their own experiences with police.
The podcast has sparked a renewed call for an investigation into the police handling of Charlene's case, as well as a national inquiry into grooming gangs. Thorp believes that witness evidence yet to be unearthed could be vital in solving the case and bringing justice to Charlene's family.
Ultimately, Charlene's story is one of systemic failure and the devastating consequences for those who are failed by the system. As Thorp says, "the truth is lost, and the opportunity to get justice for Charlene is potentially lost" if we allow false narratives and sensationalism to dominate the investigation.
20 yrs on & there's still so much not known 
The fact that racist narratives affected the initial investigation is just heartbreaking 
I mean, can you imagine how terrifying it must've been for her to be "repeatedly failed" by those around her? 
Her story needs more than just attention, it deserves real change 
We need a fresh start with new eyes on the case & some actual progress made towards justice 
her little bro got taken away by social services bc of it 
it's so messed up that ppl still think she got 'turned into kebab meat' 
like what even is that? Nicola Thorp's podcast is a total game changer 
finally some one is trying 2 expose the real story & not just the salacious parts 
I'm lowkey hoping they get justice for her fam & bring down those who got away w/ it 
. The whole kebab girl thing is just ridiculous, but I think it's even more messed up that people are still believing it 20 years on 
. And can you believe Elon Musk got involved in spreading that toxic crap? 
It's like, no matter how much time passes, we're still getting new info and new perspectives that could help solve this case. But instead of getting answers, Charlene's family is still dealing with online abuse and people thinking they're responsible for her disappearance 
. We need to get to the truth behind what really happened to her, not just keep perpetuating false narratives and conspiracy theories 
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I'm worried about the online abuse her family has suffered - it's unacceptable. The fact that some women who claim to have been groomed at the time of her disappearance are speaking out is really brave, and hopefully, their voices will be heard. Charlene deserves justice, and we need a thorough investigation into what happened to her. 100k reward still on, let's keep looking for clues 
the fact that her story was reduced to a racist narrative about being turned into kebab meat is just disgusting. and now elon musk is perpetuating this vile myth... what's wrong with people?! 
charlene's family deserves so much justice, it's like they're still living in a nightmare. we need more podcasts like nicola thorp's to shed light on these dark cases 
that podcast host nicola thorp is a lifesaver i need more info about the systemic fail tho like whats bing done 2 prevent this in the future? 
u think elon musk has no idea wut hes retweeting? 
. It's so sad that her family had to deal with social services and all that drama. And now these far-right activists are still out there spreading lies and abuse online... it's like, how can we move forward if we don't even get the facts straight? 
I just hope Nicola Thorp's podcast helps uncover some real truth and gets justice for Charlene's family. We need to make sure we don't let systemic failure and racism hold us back from solving this case. It's been way too long 
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It just shows how far we've got to go in terms of educating ourselves and our leaders about the harm caused by hate speech. 
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And poor Charlene's family - they've been through so much already and now they're being vilified online too. It's just not fair. We need to make sure we're supporting them in this investigation, not tearing them down.
. And the way some of them are trying to exploit the case for their own gain... ugh, I don't know how much more of this I can take 
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. The way she was reduced to a "kebab girl" narrative is just heartbreaking, it shows how easily our society can turn on ppl in desperate situations 
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. The truth about what happened to Charlene is still out there, lets keep pushing for answers 
. I mean, who tries to turn a human being into kebab meat? 
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