The mother of Becky Watts, the teenager who vanished from her Bristol home last month, has paid tribute to her “beautiful angel” and released a photograph of her daughter as a baby.
Tanya Watts said she had been unable to say anything until now because of her overwhelming sense of loss but she added that she had been touched by the kindness and support of strangers.
Becky, 16, disappeared from her home where she lived with her father and step-mother in the St George area of the city and after a desperate search her body parts were found at an address around two miles away.
Her stepbrother, Nathan Matthews, 28, has been charged with her murder and his girlfriend, Shauna Hoare, 21, is accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Four other people, three men and a woman, have appeared in court charged with assisting an offender by disposing of and concealing body parts.
In a statement issued via Avon and Somerset police her mother said: “My name is Tanya Watts. I am the mother of Becky Watts. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took my beautiful angel into their hearts.
“I have felt unable to say anything about Becky until now as the sense of loss and pain is overwhelming. But throughout this time I have been so touched and comforted by how people, many of whom are complete strangers, have taken the time to express their condolences.
“I feel Becky’s presence all around me. I know that she is up in heaven with her Nanny and Grampy and other people that loved her. Thank you to all those people who helped search for Becky and get our angel returned to us.
“We were able to see each other one last time: I know that she is at peace and can now have the dignity that she deserves. I am determined to focus on happy memories of Becky as a beautiful baby and gorgeous girl. I have been going through old photographs and she has a beaming smile in all of them. This is how she should be remembered – for her beauty inside and out.”
Earlier this week police announced they had found Becky’s missing laptop, mobile phone and tablet computer.
Police are still searching addresses and waterways as the investigation continues.
