Creature Bones Found in Hunt for Girl Who Vanished 55 Years Ago
A specific zone identified in a community-driven investigation for the remains of a British girl who went missing in Australia fifty-five years ago has proven to be a false alarm, New South Wales Police confirmed.
A group of searchers who used specialized canines in the search for the missing child had hoped their finding would represent a major development in the investigation, which has remained a mystery since she vanished in the year 1970, when she was just three years old.
But bones that were found in the location belong to an non-human creature, police said in reply to queries, adding that the operation had "ended."
Investigators believe Cheryl, who had emigrated from her UK hometown with her relatives, was taken from Fairy Meadow beach in Wollongong in January 1970.
Latest Investigation Steps
The recent operation happened in Balgownie, on a tiny section of woodland referenced in a admission made by a young male.
In the year 2019, a court case of the suspect, known only by a alias, Mercury, who'd been indicted with the crimes against Cheryl, collapsed. The man, in his sixties then, had rejected any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors later withdrew accusations against him as a court official disallowed the confession he made as a minor.
Unsolved Case
Police have carried out many searches in the years since Cheryl went missing, but have uncovered few clues as to what happened to her.
NSW authorities have offered a A$1m incentive for tips on the case of Cheryl's disappearance and presumed death.
Relatives' Views
Her sibling Ricki, 62, has publicly highlighted what he believes are errors in the police investigation dating back to the day she disappeared.
He was seven then. He final sighting of his sister in the changing rooms at Fairy Meadow on the date she disappeared.
Community Action
A formal request asking the local government to set up an investigation into cases of disappeared individuals handled by NSW Police, such as Cheryl's, collected more than 10,000 supporters this season.
It was discussed in parliament, but in a letter responding to those who signed, state authorities made no commitment to conducting an inquiry.
