Katrice Lee

On November 28, 1981, which was her second birthday, British toddler Katrice Lee accompanied her mother Sharon and aunt to a NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) shop at the British military base in Schloss Neuhaus, near Paderborn, West Germany. Her father Richard was a warrant officer serving with the British Army of the Rhine.

While Sharon was paying at the checkout, Katrice wandered toward the door of the shop. When Sharon turned around seconds later, Katrice was gone. Despite immediate searches of the shop and surrounding area, the toddler was not found.

The Royal Military Police led the initial investigation, which was later criticized for inadequacies. The proximity of the shop to the River Lippe led to theories that Katrice may have fallen into the water, but extensive searches of the river found no trace. The possibility of abduction was also investigated.

In 2012, the Royal Military Police reopened the case with new resources. Searches were conducted in Germany using modern forensic techniques, and renewed appeals were made to the public. Katrice's father Richard has campaigned for answers for over 40 years. The case remains one of the most high-profile British missing children cases connected to the military.