A volunteer team using cadaver detection dogs to search for the body of a British child who disappeared in Australia more than 50 years ago has found an area of interest. The group hopes their finding is a breakthrough in Cheryl Grimmer's case and has reported the location to New South Wales Police, who are now on the scene.
Authorities suspect the three-year-old, who'd emigrated from Bristol with her family, was abducted from Fairy Meadow beach in Wollongong in January 1970. A search will be conducted tomorrow with the assistance of specialist officers as part of ongoing inquiries, police told the BBC in an emailed statement.
The beach still appears serene today, with its sunlit sands and encroaching bushland. However, it has a tumultuous past marked by tragedy. Balgownie, a nearby area, was mentioned in a confession made by a teenage boy from England shortly after Cheryl went missing. This confession was deemed inadmissible in court years later.
The case has seen its ups and downs over the years, notably unfolding in 2019 when a trial involving a suspect known as 'Mercury' collapsed due to insufficient evidence. The suspect, now in his 60s, had denied any wrongdoing.
Ricki Nash, Cheryl's brother, was only seven years old at the time of her disappearance. He critiqued the police's handling of the case, expressing frustration over the lack of proper investigation in areas that had previously been highlighted. He said, This should have been done 55 years ago. My question is, why wasn't it?
As hopes rise with the new discovery, the implications of the search weigh heavily on the family, who continue to yearn for answers, whether they lead to sorrowful truths or closure.
Authorities suspect the three-year-old, who'd emigrated from Bristol with her family, was abducted from Fairy Meadow beach in Wollongong in January 1970. A search will be conducted tomorrow with the assistance of specialist officers as part of ongoing inquiries, police told the BBC in an emailed statement.
The beach still appears serene today, with its sunlit sands and encroaching bushland. However, it has a tumultuous past marked by tragedy. Balgownie, a nearby area, was mentioned in a confession made by a teenage boy from England shortly after Cheryl went missing. This confession was deemed inadmissible in court years later.
The case has seen its ups and downs over the years, notably unfolding in 2019 when a trial involving a suspect known as 'Mercury' collapsed due to insufficient evidence. The suspect, now in his 60s, had denied any wrongdoing.
Ricki Nash, Cheryl's brother, was only seven years old at the time of her disappearance. He critiqued the police's handling of the case, expressing frustration over the lack of proper investigation in areas that had previously been highlighted. He said, This should have been done 55 years ago. My question is, why wasn't it?
As hopes rise with the new discovery, the implications of the search weigh heavily on the family, who continue to yearn for answers, whether they lead to sorrowful truths or closure.
