The strange case of Margaret Fleming

That does sound a bizarre case. Is there really nobody - neighbours, social services etc - who has seen this poor woman since 1999?

Very odd indeed.

According to the DM article she and the carers all lived together and they last saw her 6 weeks ago.

I can't help but think that they might have 'something' to do it with it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4024894/Police-hunting-vulnerable-woman-reported-missing-six-weeks-ago.html

No doubt the police will be checking to see if benefits have been claimed all these years and whose bank account they have been going into.

This reminds me of a case where an elderly couple were found buried in their back garden after not being seen for years. That turned out to be their daughter and son-in-law.

P.S. This is the case mentioned before.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27939309

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4032068/I-ve-known-30-years-ve-never-seen-Close-friend-missing-Margaret-Fleming-s-carers-reveals-hasn-t-met-her.html

A bit more about this case and it gets even more bizarre.

It does indeed. So she had some sort of secret life...

You'd think that a regular visitor to the house would ask questions about someone who supposedly lived there!

I wonder if Margaret's mother is still alive - what a sad story it sounds about her cutting off all contact back in 1999.

chrissie wrote:It does indeed. So she had some sort of secret life...

 Nobody saw this person since she attended college in 1998? No doctor, social worker or DSS clerk for any kind of benefits assessment? No shopkeeper or optician? Who bought her personal items? What was she living on? Were the carers in receipt of Attendance Allowance?
If she was in receipt of benefits such as JSA she would have had to sign on. If she only got DLA ( now PIP) how was it paid to her? Did she have a bank account? As far as I know benefits are paid direct nowadays so, even if there used to be a payment book ( usually you have to go personally to collect payment) she would have had to open an account at some point. There are procedures for that.
Methinks her disappearance could be linked to the requirement for claimants to attend a personal assessment. Can't do that if you aren't around.

Mentions checking benefits etc in this article:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/margaret-fleming-mystery-close-pal-9453145

Comment snipped:

'Edward was always asking us to go on holiday with them – and as we couldn’t always afford it, they sometimes paid'

Not only did these 'carers' go on holiday a lot but generous with it as well.

I wonder if Margaret had received some inheritance after her father passed away...

ETA - maybe this case deserves its own thread, Freedom?

Well if she was actually killed 17 years ago and the 'carers' only reported her missing 6 weeks ago, it looks like they must have been involved.

chrissie wrote:Well if she was actually killed 17 years ago and the 'carers' only reported her missing 6 weeks ago, it looks like they must have been involved.

Yeah absolutely. But it sort of begs the question on why they actually reported her 'missing'?

If they are responsible (which I think they are) then why not keep schtum...

I'm sure it said in one of the links that someone official called about her on that day and then she was reported missing.

I'll post it when I can find it again.

Here it is.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/292406/cops-dig-up-inverkip-garden-of-missing-margaret-fleming-as-it-emerges-family-havent-seen-her-for-17-years/

Thanks Freedom, it will interesting to see how this develops.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-38313533

Snipped:

Police officers had gone to Ms Fleming's house on 28 October about a social work issue.
Her carers said she had left that day. They later reported her missing.
Police have also confirmed that Ms Fleming's carers assisted with her finances.

I think I can see where this is going and what the outcome will be.

I always try to keep an open mind with missing persons cases even when it's bleeding obvious who is likely to be responsible but I'm having more than usual difficulty with this one.

What a coincidence - that she went out on the very day that someone came looking for her and never came back!

I think there'll be some breaking news within the next 24/48 hours along the lines of 'Body found, Carers arrested'.

Imo etc.

Just throwing this in the mix from the BBC report:

The house belongs to Ms Fleming's carers, 75-year-old Edward Cairney and 56-year-old Avril Jones, who were family friends.

I suppose there is always the possibility that her estranged family were somehow involved.

Apparently her late father was a friend of Edward Cairney.

I suppose that it will come out in time why her mother had nothing to do with her after she moved in with him and his partner.

This link just shows a short video of it:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1376169/Police-begin-digging-garden-search-missing-Margaret-Fleming.html

Now with the property backing onto a lake then I know where my money is where they put the body.

IMO etc.

Andrew that's the Firth of Clyde ( the sea) at the back of the house so always a chance she could wash up somewhere in the future if that's where she has ended up.

hesla wrote:Andrew that's the Firth of Clyde ( the sea) at the back of the house so always a chance she could wash up somewhere in the future if that's where she has ended up.

Thanks for the correction. Well I wonder if they used to have a boat moored up down there then.

Far more likely that she was disposed in the sea than in the garden.

IMO etc.