Neighbours have expressed their shock as police launch a murder investigation following the disappearance of a young mum and her daughter.
Hadeer Jamil Alonazi’s six-year-old daughter has been found safe and well, but her mother remains missing after disappearing more than a week ago and police fear she may have come to harm and may not be alive.
Detectives have arrested two men on suspicion of murdering Ms Alonazi after her daughter was found safe.
Two men, aged 40 and 43, were arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday and remain in custody for questioning.
Forensics officers were today working at a property on Hall Road, in Rusholme.
Officers have been carrying out searches at the property for several days and a police sniffer dog was today working in the alleyways behind the terraced property.
Many of the neighbours on the street, which is largely populated by students, were unaware of the details of the investigation when the M.E.N visited on Wednesday afternoon.
They said they had seen police activity on the road and at a terraced house for several days but were unaware of the details.
Nobody knew Ms Alonazi but said they were shocked to hear that police believe she may be dead.
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One neighbour, who moved to the area last weekend, said: “We moved in as this was happening so I don’t know what to say.
“We hope she is found and hope she is okay. We have been seeing police in the area since Monday and a lot of vans around.
"The CSI vans were here last night around midnight or 1am - one CSI van and a tactical aid unit so there’s been a lot of activity the last two days.”
Another resident told the M.E.N: “It’s quite a transient population around here so not everyone knows each other.
“We were shocked when we saw the police and in forensics uniforms because you only see that when it’s something really serious. The police have been there since around Sunday.
“It’s really sad to hear. The police have been searching for days so you would think they would have found something.
"They have been working there night and day. Last night they were looking through the rubbish.”
One resident said he had not seen a woman at the house, but added that people move in and out of houses on the road quite regularly.
“There are so many people coming and going here we would not have known anything odd,” he said.
“It’s quite a busy area and there are often students moving in and out.
“The police have been here for a few days. They seem to be keeping a 24 hour presence.
“Forensics people have been in and out the last few days.
“It’s a surprise to think they believe it’s a murder. You don’t expect that sort of thing to happen anywhere.”
Specialist officers and police staff have been at the house on Hall Road over the past week, gathering evidence they hope will lead them to Hadeer.
But their enquiries have led them to believe that she may have come to harm before she was reported missing and may not be alive.
Ms Alonazi – in her 20s and from Rusholme – was reported missing to police on July 2.
But it’s understood she had not been seen for some time before that.
It was also reported that the whereabouts of her six-year-old daughter were unknown.
A scene is expected to remain in place on Hall Road for some time.
Detective Chief Inspector Liz Hopkinson, of Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team, said officers have been ‘pushing every single line of enquiry’ in this ‘unusual’ investigation.
“In any investigation, our priority is always to prevent harm coming to people and to preserve life, which is why we haven’t been able to disclose any of these details until now,” she said.
“Now we are satisfied that Hadeer’s daughter has been located and is safe and well, we are able to confirm details and ask that anyone with information comes forward.
“You will have seen officers over the past week at a house on Hall Road and you may have spoken to them on the street.
“While we are working on the hypothesis that Hadeer is not alive and we currently have two people in custody, I cannot stress the importance of people contacting us with information if they know anything at all.
“This may be something that you’ve noticed or been told and you may not feel that it is of any particular importance but please, pass it onto us and we will assess whether or not it is relevant to our investigation.
“This is a tragic case where a young mother has disappeared, something no child should ever have to go through. We are working closely with our partners to ensure that we gather as much information as possible and that we get answers for her daughter.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 9283 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Detectives have been granted two warrants for further detention for those in custody.
