For 18 agonising months, a mother's life has been suspended in a torturous limbo. Her son, Cillian O'Reilly, then just 15 years old, walked out of their family home in Bolton and vanished into thin air. The desperate search for answers has become a relentless, soul-destroying quest for a family living a nightmare.
A Life Frozen in Time
Cillian was last seen on the afternoon of December 18, 2022. Described as a quiet and gentle teenager, his sudden disappearance was completely out of character, sending immediate shockwaves through his family. His mother, whose world collapsed that day, recalls the mundane normalcy of the moments before he left – a chilling contrast to the chaos that followed.
An Exhaustive But Fruitless Search
Greater Manchester Police have conducted extensive enquiries, following numerous lines of investigation. Despite public appeals, CCTV trawls, and community searches, no significant leads have emerged. The case remains open, a constant reminder of the gaping hole left in his family's life.
The family's anguish is compounded by the sheer lack of information. "It's the not knowing that destroys you," his mother explains. "Is he safe? Is he warm? Is he even alive? Every day without answers is a new form of torture."
A Mother's Plea: "Someone Must Know Something"
Now, a year and a half on, his mother is making a fresh, emotional appeal directly to the public. She believes someone, somewhere, holds the key to unlocking this mystery. She is urging anyone with even the smallest piece of information to come forward, clinging to the hope that a single detail could bring her son home.
- Name: Cillian O'Reilly
- Age at Disappearance: 15 (Now 17)
- Last Seen: Bolton, 18 December 2022
- Description: Slim build, short brown hair
"He is loved beyond measure," his mother states, her voice filled with a potent mix of despair and determination. "Please, if you know anything, no matter how insignificant it may seem, contact the police. Help us end this agony."
Anyone with information is urged to contact Greater Manchester Police, quoting missing person reference 23-0038006.
