Harvey Parker, 20, a gifted music student at the University of York, who vanished in the early hours of Friday morning, was last seen alone leaving Heaven nightclub after a night out in London.
Earlier that evening, he had been to a Lil Simz concert at the O2 Academy in Brixton. Harvey then returned home after the gig to change his outfit at his family home in Waterloo, before heading out to the LGBTQ+ nightclub.
After leaving the Charing Cross venue around 2.15am, CCTV footage released by Lambeth Police captured him entering Craven Street and walking south toward the Embankment. That is the last time Harvey was seen.
His mother, Amanda Parker, told the Metro that she “can’t think of any reason” why Harvey would go missing.
“Just before we went to bed Harvey came back and was really upbeat and very positive about the concert and had a good time,” she said.
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When Harvey didn’t return from his night out, Amanda assumed that he had gone to work at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. He didn’t come back in the evening and when she phoned the theatre they said he had missed two shifts. All calls to Harvey’s phone remained unanswered.
She said this was “unheard of” and that Harvey would always make it to work, even after going out the night before.
“Harvey’s very musically accomplished and very academically gifted and really confident. The flute is Harvey’s first instrument, along with the oboe, piano and organ. Harvey’s a phenomenal musician. Harvey is very engaging, has lots of friends and is quirky.
“At the same time Harvey’s very vulnerable and can misread a situation and get overwhelmed.
“Harvey can’t necessarily read social situations and is outgoing - and that’s when autism really comes into play, because what to do next would be a real challenge.”
Two days after his disappearance, Lambeth police issued a missing person appeal - “We are currently very concerned about the welfare of Harvey PARKER who was last seen on the 16th December 2021 at Heaven Nightclub at Charing Cross. If you have any information which may help us find Harvey, please contact us,” they wrote in statement shared on Twitter last Sunday night.
The Metropolitan police have since said that they are conducting a search of the river following a review of CCTV in the area that indicates that Harvey may have entered the water near the Golden Jubilee Bridge.
“We are doing all we can to find Harvey, and working closely with our colleagues in the Marine Policing Unit. We are keeping Harvey’s family fully informed of any developments; and the thoughts of my colleagues and I are with them at this distressing time. We would also ask that media avoid any speculation while the enquiry continues.” Detective Chief Inspector Lucy O’Connor, from Central South Safeguarding Unit, said.
Harvey’s parents have since spoken to a number of new outlets regarding their son’s disappearance as they desperately await information of his whereabouts.
Speaking to BBC London news on Tuesday, his mother pleaded: “We just want him back for Christmas, we just want him back.”
She added that Harvey has high-functioning autism and that “he may not be receiving information or making the same of it as others do, which makes him vulnerable in certain situations.”
His step-father, Michael Armstrong, added that initially the family “had things to do to track him down” but now they are just waiting desperately for any news. He said: “Now we don’t know what is happening really.”
“Harvey if you see this please come home. If anyone has any information please can you just share it with the police.”
Pleas for information, photographs of Harvey and messages of support have been shared tirelessly on social media since the news of his disappearance emerged online.
The University of York music faculty, where Harvey is a second-year student, issued an appeal, adding: “Harvey is very much in our thoughts, and we sincerely hope they are safe and well.”
Jeremy Joseph, the owner of G-A-Y nightclub, also issued an plea on Wednesday to Londoners to “look at [Harvey’s] picture and watch out for” him.
He said: “It’s so upsetting, so frightening for someone to go missing and not to be able to be found yet. It’s shocking to me with the CCTV that we have. So just that everybody is, they can look on social media. Look at his picture and just watch out for him because that would be the best Christmas present in the world.”
The Theatre Royal Stratford East, Harvey’s place of work, followed suit on Twitter. The tweet was shared by playwright Jonathan Harvey and others.
Westminster School in London also tweeted an appeal using the hashtag #FindHarvey, stating he was a former pupil.
Police have since released CCTV images of the missing 20-year-old at the nightclub where he was last seen.
Detective Sergeant Dick Nation, from the Central South Safeguarding Unit, said: “We have not been able to contact Harvey, and his family have still heard nothing from him. There is no reason why he should have gone missing and his family and friends are extremely worried by his disappearance.
“To assist the public, we are releasing images of Harvey from the night he went missing.
“This is a terrible ordeal for Harvey’s family and friends and I would urge anyone who saw him or has any information to contact police immediately.”
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A CCTV still of Harvey Parker on the night that he went missing. (Metropolitan Police/PA)
(PA Media)
Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or tweet @MetCC, quoting CAD 3134/18DEC21.