Mother's 30-Year Quest for Answers in Isle of Wight Teen Disappearance
Valerie Walker, now 73 years old, faces a heartbreaking milestone this November: three decades since she last saw her 16-year-old son, Damien Nettles. The teenager vanished from the Isle of Wight on a cold November night in 1996, leaving behind a family whose lives have been permanently scarred by uncertainty.
A Night That Changed Everything
On that fateful Saturday evening, Damien attended a party with friends after persuading his mother to extend his curfew to midnight. Described by family as a "gentle giant" with a kind and funny nature, he left the gathering with a friend around 10:30pm. After parting ways, Damien reportedly returned to Cowes town centre to look for his older sister Sarah.
The last confirmed sighting came from CCTV at Yorkies Fish and Chip shop at 11:40pm, with additional footage showing him walking alone on the high street shortly afterward. Tragically, Hampshire Police later admitted losing this crucial video evidence.
Initial Investigation Concerns
When Damien failed to return home the following morning, Ms Walker initially assumed he had stayed with friends. As hours turned to days without contact, her concern grew into panic. She recalls being told by police that Damien would "be home by tea time" and that his disappearance was something "all boys do at the age of 16."
"The first 48 hours were not taken seriously," Ms Walker told The Independent. "We had to launch our own search party and obtain CCTV ourselves." This critical period in missing person investigations passed without substantial police action, according to the family.
Three Decades of Unanswered Questions
Now living in Texas, USA, Ms Walker maintains that not a single day has passed without thoughts of her missing son. "It's terrible, it's horrible, it's altered the shape of our lives," she said. "Damien came first. It's always been Damien. I think about him every single day. It doesn't go away."
The emotional toll extends beyond immediate family. Damien's grandparents and uncle died without learning what happened to him, and Ms Walker fears facing the same fate. She still keeps his teddy bears in his room and hangs a stocking for him each Christmas, though she no longer buys presents after finding untouched gifts from previous years.
Police Response and Ongoing Investigation
Detective Superintendent Nick Plummer from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary stated: "Our shared objective with the Nettles family remains finding out what happened to Damien. We understand the concerns raised about the standards of our initial investigation."
Following a 2016 complaint, police upheld two elements and provided a detailed apology to the family. The case remains officially open, with authorities stating any new credible information will be thoroughly explored. In 2011, eight people were arrested in connection with the disappearance, but all were released without charge.
The SafeCall Initiative
As The Independent has raised £165,000 to launch SafeCall – a free nationwide service helping missing children find support and safety – Ms Walker's story highlights the urgent need for such resources. The campaign continues to raise additional funds to ensure vulnerable young people can access help regardless of their circumstances.
"Someone is going to have to walk in their door and confess before [the police] are going to do anything," Ms Walker said regarding her son's case. "I would much prefer for somebody to tell me where he is so we can go find him, and I can bring him home, and I can give him a funeral, and I'll have a spot where he is so that I can go and visit."
A Mother's Enduring Hope
Despite the passing years and geographical distance, Ms Walker maintains what she calls "a glimmer of hope." She worries about the legacy her surviving children face, having grown up without their brother and carrying the burden of his unexplained absence.
"I'm not going to give up hope," she affirmed. "I can only hope that if there is a heaven, I'll find him up there." Her determination to uncover the truth about Damien's fate continues, even as she acknowledges the painful reality that answers may never come in her lifetime.
