Libby Squire: Mother of abducted daughter releases emotional apology for 'not keeping you safe'

'I love you my beautiful girl with all my being and I always will', Lisa Squire says

The mother of Libby Squire, the missing Hull University student whose body was finally discovered last week, has spoken of her heartbreak that she could not keep her beloved daughter safe.

In a heartfelt tribute posted on Facebook, Lisa Squire said losing Libby, who was affectionately nicknamed “Pie” by her family, was devastating for all who loved her.

“I kept you safe for as long as I could and I am so sorry I could not keep you safe on that night. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry,” she wrote.

“I love you my beautiful girl with all my being and I always will.”

Libby was one of the “four most precious things in my life”, Ms Squire said, and wrote of the “honour, privilege and joy” it had been to be her mother.

But her “heart is broken” for the grief felt by all of Libby’s friends and family.

“No sisters should have that special girl they have known for all their time on this earth taken from her.

“No 11-year-old brother should have his idol taken from him.

“No dad should have his first born little girl, his princess, taken from him.”

Ms Squire said her lowest point was having to inform her daughter’s boyfriend of her death.

“He made her happy. She made him happy. That made me happy,” she wrote.

Now detectives from Humberside Police have recovered Libby’s body, they have focused their efforts solely on investigating her possible murder, Detective Superintendent Martin Smalley said.

“Libby captured the hearts of not just the people in Hull, but across the country, and as I have said before, the support shown has been overwhelming and my sincerest thanks to absolutely everyone who has been involved.”

Miss Squire, who has been described as a popular student who studied philosophy at Hull University, vanished after going out with friends on 31 January.

She was dropped off in a taxi near her home on Wellesley Avenue at 11.29pm, and was seen on a bench near Beverley Road around 10 minutes later.

She is believed to have remained in this area until around 12.09am the following day, February 1, but was not seen alive after that.

An inquest into her death will be opened at Hull Coroner’s Court on Monday, and a 24-year-old man, Pawel Relowicz, of Raglan Street, Hull, has been arrested on suspicion of abduction and remanded in custody.