Brother of missing girl issues emotional appeal

The brother of an Irish girl who went missing in Spain two weeks ago has made an emotional appeal to his sister to get in contact…

The brother of an Irish girl who went missing in Spain two weeks ago has made an emotional appeal to his sister to get in contact with the family.

In a letter issued today by the family of 15-year-old Amy Fitzpatrick, her brother Dean tells of the fear and anxiety his family has experienced since his sister's disappearance from the town of Mijas on the Costa del Sol on January 1st.

"Mam is crying all the time and the house is just empty with you and all your noise," 17-year-old Dean says in the letter.

"Everyone's really scared because its two weeks now and we haven't heard anything from you. We really miss you and are all worried sick," he says.

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In a direct appeal to his sister to contact the family, he says: "I don't know if you ran away but if you have, just give us a text or something to say you're all right."

"Maybe you are scared because of all the fuss it's caused but that doesn't matter. We just want you back in the house."

The search for Amy has this week been scaled down after a two-day search last week, involving some 230 police officers and volunteers, failed to turn up any clues.

But yesterday Spain interior ministry's senior official on the Costa del Sol, Hilario López, insisted that the search for Amy "remained a priority for the police".

Officers leading the search yesterday also interviewed Dean in an effort build a picture of the Amy's activities.

Amy's mother, Audrey, and stepfather, Costa del Sol estate agent Dave Mahon, were interviewed for more than four hours by the officers last Friday.

Eoin Burke-Kennedy

Eoin Burke-Kennedy

Eoin Burke-Kennedy is Economics Correspondent of The Irish Times