Body of missing 55-year-old trans woman found after week-long search
Police said that her death was being treated as "unexpected, but not suspicious"
By Alim Kheraj
The body of a 55-year-old trans woman was found in the River Thames after she went missing more than a week ago.
Natasha Reddington-Romanov was last seen on a night out in Soho, London, on 20 September. She was reported missing the following Tuesday (24 September).
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said that they discovered a body on Saturday, 21 September, in the Thames near Vauxhall Bridge.
“Officers believe that the body discovered is that of Natasha Reddington-Romanov, a 55-year-old woman that had been reported missing from Southwark,” they said. “Natasha’s next of kin have been informed of this development.”
The police added: “In the interim, Natasha’s disappearance was reported to police on Tuesday, 24 September and a missing person’s investigation was immediately launched. It was subsequently confirmed that the body recovered was that of Natasha’s.”
“She’s very vivacious. She’s a very bold character. She’s most certainly an icon of Soho” – Tracy Kawalik, a friend of Natasha’s
Speaking to Attitude last week after she went missing, Natasha’s friend, Tracy Kawalik, described the 55-year-old as “incredibly lovely”.
“She’s very vivacious. She’s a very bold character. She’s most certainly an icon of Soho,” Kawalik said.
Last week, Kawalik said that Natasha’s disappearance was “totally out of character”, adding that Natasha didn’t appear to be in any mental distress. “There were no signs that she was going through anything,” she told Attitude.
On the night she went missing, Natasha had eaten dinner with the owner of private members club Trisha’s in Chinatown.
“From there, they went for a glass of champagne at Little Italy, then on to Trisha’s. They were together there until closing. I believe she stayed for a drink after closing with Trisha; she normally would,” Kawalik said.
Once Trisha’s closed, Natasha was seen walking from Greek Street to Bateman Street in the direction of a club called Raincall. However, she didn’t go to the club and it was thought at the time that she had gone back to her flat on the Old Kent Road.
Friends raised concerns about Natasha’s whereabouts after she failed to turn up for work. “That was the most alarming thing,” Kawalik told Attitude last week. “No matter how late she’d been partying, she never misses a day of work.”
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Kawalik paid tribute to Natasha.
“I loved you so very very much,” she wrote. “I hope u knew. X”
In their statement, police said that Natasha’s death was being treated as “unexpected, but not suspicious”.
“A file will be prepared for the Coroner,” they added.