Creature Bones Found in Hunt for Girl Who Vanished Fifty-Five Years Ago
A specific zone identified in a community-driven search for the body of a British child who went missing in the land down under 55 years ago has proven to be a false alarm, New South Wales Police confirmed.
A group of searchers who used specialized canines in the quest for Cheryl Grimmer had believed their finding would mark a breakthrough in the investigation, which has remained a mystery since she vanished in 1970, when she was just three years old.
But bones that were uncovered in the location are from an non-human creature, law enforcement said in reply to queries, noting that the search had "ended."
Investigators believe the young girl, who had moved from Bristol with her relatives, was abducted from a coastal area in Wollongong in January 1970.
Recent Search Efforts
Thursday's search took place in Balgownie, on a small pocket of woodland mentioned in a confession made by a young male.
In 2019, a court case of the suspect, known only by a codename, the pseudonym, who'd been charged with the crimes against Cheryl, ended abruptly. The individual, in his 60s then, had denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors later dropped accusations against him as a court official excluded the confession he made as a minor.
Ongoing Mystery
Police have carried out many investigations in the years since Cheryl went missing, but have uncovered limited clues as to what happened to her.
Local officials have offered a A$1m incentive for tips on Cheryl's abduction and suspected murder.
Family's Perspective
Cheryl's brother Ricki, 62, has openly discussed what he thinks are mistakes in the police investigation going back to the time she went missing.
He was seven years old then. He last saw his sister in the changing rooms at Fairy Meadow on the day she vanished.
Community Action
A formal request asking the state parliament to establish an inquiry into cases of disappeared individuals handled by NSW Police, such as this one, collected more than 10,000 signatures this summer.
It was debated in the legislature, but in a letter addressing those who signed, state authorities made no commitment to holding an review.
