What happened to Blessing Olusegun?

“Her family need answers too.”

Since the increased interest in Ms Olusegun’s death, a petition has gained traction online.

The petition, which has amassed over 35,000 signatures, reads: “Blessing Olusegun was a 21-year-old business student from London. She came to Bexhill on a one-week placement as a carer to help old people with dementia and other mental health issues.

“She was recently found dead on Bexhill beach near Galley Hill on Friday at 6:20am with her shoes and phone nearby her body and the police are treating it as non suspicious.

“Her mother Esther Abe is demanding to know why her beautiful daughter died on September 18th. We need justice for Blessing and her family. What actually happened?”

Many people have now written posts on social media to shine a light on what happened to the 21-year-old.

One person tweeted: “Please remember Blessing Olusegun, whose body was found on a beach in Sussex last year. Her death remains unexplained.”

“We need to know what happened to Blessing Olusegun,” said another Twitter user. “Please read up on her story and sign the petition.”

Another wrote: “Justice for Blessing! Just like Sarah Everard she was walking outside and never came home.”

Others discussed the importance of highlighting the stories of all women who go missing.

British historian Dr Fern Riddell tweeted: “If Sarah’s death is why you want to protest and March and campaign, then she has to be held alongside Blessing Olusegun, Nicole Smallman, and Bibaa Henry, all women who, in their deaths, have been failed by the police.”

“Thinking of Sarah Everard’s mother. I’m thinking about Blessing Olusegun’s and Wenjing Lin’s mother too,” tweeted another user. “I’m thinking of all the mothers or guardians who have raised women/ girls who have had their children stolen from them.”

In a statement shared on Tuesday evening, Sussex Police said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Blessing Olusegun, a much-loved and popular 21-year-old woman and business student from South London. In September 2020, Blessing spent a week in Bexhill in East Sussex working as a carer.

“At 6.20am on Friday 18 September the body of a woman was found lying on the beach at Bexhill near Galley Hill. The body was identified that morning as that of Blessing and her next of kin, her mother, was visited and informed by Metropolitan Police officers later the same day.

“Sussex Police detectives attended and, with no immediate evidence of a crime, the Coroner was notified and a police investigation launched. The investigation remains ongoing and, to date, police have carried out detailed enquiries to explore the circumstances leading to Blessing’s death.”

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Pippa Nicklin said: "I have spoken with Blessing’s mother and explained we remain absolutely committed to finding out the facts of what happened to Blessing. This is a very distressing time for her and we are keen to do everything we can so that hopefully she may gain some closure over the death of her much-loved daughter.

“Although there continues to be no evidence of a crime we are still carefully and fully examining all the circumstances leading up to Blessing's death, from her arrival in Bexhill, to her leaving the house where she was working and walking to the beach.”

The statement adds that all evidence collated will be submitted to the Coroner, who will “set a date for an inquest in due course”.