An emotional interview on ITV's This Morning saw a mother break down in tears as she spoke about her son, who has been missing since 2008. Nerissa Tivy appeared on the show on Thursday, August 13, alongside her two daughters, to discuss the disappearance of her son, Alexander Soley.
Disappearance in 2008
Alexander was 16 years old when he vanished from Islington, North London, on August 2, 2008, just two days before his 17th birthday. Nearly two decades later, his whereabouts remain unknown, and there are still no answers about what happened to him.
During the interview, Tivy described the last time she saw her son. She explained that before she realised he was missing, she received a mysterious phone call from his friend, who said he had not seen him.
Police Response Criticised
Presenter Rochelle Humes asked Tivy when she realised something was wrong. Tivy replied tearfully: "When he didn't come home for his birthday. From day one, he never came home for his birthday."
She expressed her belief that the police had not done enough after her son was reported missing. She said: "If you go to the police station and report that a child is missing, there are several organisations that should be contacted. Social services and whoever else is out there that supports a family with a missing child or to even come round and check that the whole family is safe. No one, I went to the station and reported him missing, they just gave me a quiet reference number."
Viewer Support
Humes comforted Tivy, saying "I know this is hard for you," and provided tissues as she cried. Viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their support. One wrote: "Poor mother. Gosh, the never knowing would be truly awful." Another said: "I can't imagine the pain mum is feeling. So brave to chat about this. God bless you, darling."
Alexander had been staying at a friend's house in Edmonton, North London. On the day he disappeared, he left intending to return home but never arrived. His disappearance is puzzling because there was no indication he planned to leave for any length of time—he had very little money, no wallet, and no spare clothes. It was considered out of character.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.
