‘Not right': Audrey Griffin's mum describes moment best friend found her body
The mother of Audrey Griffin, who was murdered as she walked home from a night out with friends on the NSW Central Coast, has described the moment her daughter's best friend found her body.
Kathleen Kirby told A Current Affair on Monday night that she knew something was terribly wrong when she checked her daughter's location.
'I'd woken up and I looked at the phone and I saw the location, and straight away I was alarmed,' she said.
Unable to reach Audrey, Kathleen phoned her daughter's friends who went to the location along Erina Creek, just metres from the main road, where they came across Audrey's bag and phone before finding her body partially submerged in the creek.
'It's not right for a young girl to have to find her best friend in the water,' Kathleen said.
Audrey had left her friends at Hotel Gosford in the early hours of March 23, telling them she was going to get an Uber or a cab back to her dad's house.
She was unable to book an Uber, and her mum believes 19-year-old Audrey had chosen that route home in the hope of finding a cab to hail along the way, as there's a shorter route that passes through the centre of Gosford that she could have taken instead.
While walking, Audrey sent two Snapchat messages to her friends, these later helped police to track some of her movements.
Following an autopsy, police were quick to rule the teen's death an accidental drowning - a finding that never sat well with her mother.
'She was a swimmer, she's an ocean swimmer, she was strong,' she told ACA.
'My gut was telling me one thing, and it was not to give up. I couldn't just go with she drowned. Not one person has walked up to me and said she drowned… No one believed it.'
Then, last week came the sensational announcement that a man had been arrested and charged with her murder. The man, 53-year-old Adrian Torrens, died in custody three days later.
Torrens was found unresponsive in a cell at Silverwater Correctional Complex in Western Sydney at about 4.50pm last Thursday after taking his own life. He was unable to be revived by Corrective Services staff and paramedics.
In a statement following news of Torrens' suicide, a spokeswoman for Corrective Services NSW said the Torrens' death will be reported to the NSW coroner and will be subject to a public inquest.
'Corrective Services NSW and NSW Police investigate all deaths in custody regardless of the circumstances,,' the statement read.
'Corrective Services NSW extends its deepest sympathies to the family of Audrey Griffin at this distressing time.'
Audrey's mother Kathleen want to see leaders do more to prevent violence against women in Australia, saying on A Current Affair, 'Get on board, do something, make a change. She [Audrey] wasn't a number. She's not another person that just gets brushed under the carpet.'
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West Australian
04-06-2025
- West Australian
‘Not going to stop': Chilling texts revealed as Ethan Davis pleads guilty to abducting, intimidating and harassing ex-girlfriend
A superyacht worker wore latex gloves so he wouldn't leave fingerprints while he abducted his ex-girlfriend in a bid to delete evidence from her phone of his harassment against her, with court documents revealing he told her 'this is not going to stop' as part of a barrage of texts and calls. Ethan Davis on Wednesday pleaded guilty to two counts of stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm, and one count each of use carriage service to menace/harass/offend, possess prohibited drug, and take/detain person with intent to obtain advantage. The indictment sheet, seen by NewsWire, states 'namely, deleting incriminating data from her mobile device' in relation to the final charge. He met his former girlfriend in 2021 while working on a superyacht called the Oceana: the pair struck up a casual relationship in March 2022, which became official in November before coming to an end in December 2022 for a short while. Mr Davis placed a card in the mailbox of the woman's parents' home saying 'I love you xx' shortly afterwards, the statement of agreed facts stated, before the pair got back together in March 2023. The woman broke up with him months later at the Bondi restaurant Icebergs on August 30, where Mr Davis demanded to know who else she'd been dating. She told him she'd tell the Oceana's captain if he kept trying to contact her outside of work, and he snatched her phone, prompting her to threaten to scream if he didn't give it back. 'Well scream then,' he fired back, and the woman followed Mr Davis to his car while trying to get her phone back. He told her he'd drop her home, and gave the phone back after she began to cry, telling her 'You need to calm down' and 'don't tell anyone' as he drove around neighbouring suburbs. Outside her home, he asked her to return jewellery and a watch he'd bought for her, and she later promised not to tell anyone about the incident via a text message sent shortly after she was dropped off home. They worked a shift together the following day where the woman asked him to leave her alone, with text messages revealing Mr Davis later asked if they could just 'move on from it'. She told him she couldn't shake how he made her feel, and asked him to leave her be. He replied 'it can just be normal again' and 'I don't want it to be like this', specifically telling her 'I can't' in response to her request to leave her be. Mr Davis then called her more than 200 times via phone, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and FaceTime on September 5 after she declined to spend 'one last night' with him for his birthday, which she'd initially agreed to out of fear. The agreed facts state he 'bombarded the victim with messages' and threatened consequences if she didn't answer. He even transferred a single cent to her bank account with the message 'answer your phone', and threatened to break into her home to get her. 'You do not understand this is not going to stop,' Mr Davis texted her. 'If I have to break into your house to get to you I will. 'I do not care. 'So just f***ing answer.' She told Mr Davis she'd called police and again asked him to stop calling her, to which he sent her further texts for her to answer the phone and explain the situation to him. The following evening he crouched next to her car, wearing all black and latex gloves, and stood up as she approached after she finished work, telling her she would get in the car. He grabbed her after she responded no, and she screamed out for help as a car parked nearby began to pull away: it stopped briefly before driving off. The victim managed to briefly break away from Mr Davis before he grabbed her again and put his hand over her mouth, telling her to 'be quiet' and pushing her into a bush. On her back, he lay on top of her, telling her 'you're going to get into the car' before picking her up and taking her to the vehicle with his hand over her mouth. He extended the blade from a Leatherman multi tool at her once in the car and said 'co-operate, it doesn't have to be this bad'. 'What are you going to do to me, why have you got gloves on?' she asked him. 'I don't want to leave fingerprints. You have to get rid of the messages. Once that's done, I'll drop you to the car and everything will be OK,' he replied, with the agreed facts stating he promised not to hurt her. She then cried and shook the entire 35 minute car trip to Manly, where Mr Davis parked the car at the North Head lookout and made her unlock her phone with Face ID. He proceeded to delete all messages between the pair from all platforms, as well as screenshots she'd taken, including from the recently deleted folder on her phone. He then drove her back to where his own car was parked at the Marina and told her he was going to follow her home. 'The victim could see the offender in her rear-view mirror following her home the entire journey,' the agreed facts stated. She reported the matter at Bondi Police Station the following morning and Mr Davis was arrested shortly after. Police found black latex gloves, a Leatherman tool, dark clothes and a laptop in his car.
Perth Now
04-06-2025
- Perth Now
Chilling texts before man abducted ex
A superyacht worker wore latex gloves so he wouldn't leave fingerprints while he abducted his ex-girlfriend in a bid to delete evidence from her phone of his harassment against her, with court documents revealing he told her 'this is not going to stop' as part of a barrage of texts and calls. Ethan Davis on Wednesday pleaded guilty to two counts of stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm, and one count each of use carriage service to menace/harass/offend, possess prohibited drug, and take/detain person with intent to obtain advantage. The indictment sheet, seen by NewsWire, states 'namely, deleting incriminating data from her mobile device' in relation to the final charge. He met his former girlfriend in 2021 while working on a superyacht called the Oceana: the pair struck up a casual relationship in March 2022, which became official in November before coming to an end in December 2022 for a short while. Ethan Davis leaves the Downing Centre Court on Wednesday. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Davis placed a card in the mailbox of the woman's parents' home saying 'I love you xx' shortly afterwards, the statement of agreed facts stated, before the pair got back together in March 2023. The woman broke up with him months later at the Bondi restaurant Icebergs on August 30, where Mr Davis demanded to know who else she'd been dating. She told him she'd tell the Oceana's captain if he kept trying to contact her outside of work, and he snatched her phone, prompting her to threaten to scream if he didn't give it back. 'Well scream then,' he fired back, and the woman followed Mr Davis to his car while trying to get her phone back. He told her he'd drop her home, and gave the phone back after she began to cry, telling her 'You need to calm down' and 'don't tell anyone' as he drove around neighbouring suburbs. Outside her home, he asked her to return jewellery and a watch he'd bought for her, and she later promised not to tell anyone about the incident via a text message sent shortly after she was dropped off home. They worked a shift together the following day where the woman asked him to leave her alone, with text messages revealing Mr Davis later asked if they could just 'move on from it'. She told him she couldn't shake how he made her feel, and asked him to leave her be. He replied 'it can just be normal again' and 'I don't want it to be like this', specifically telling her 'I can't' in response to her request to leave her be. Mr Davis then called her more than 200 times via phone, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and FaceTime on September 5 after she declined to spend 'one last night' with him for his birthday, which she'd initially agreed to out of fear. The agreed facts state he 'bombarded the victim with messages' and threatened consequences if she didn't answer. He even transferred a single cent to her bank account with the message 'answer your phone', and threatened to break into her home to get her. 'You do not understand this is not going to stop,' Mr Davis texted her. 'If I have to break into your house to get to you I will. 'I do not care. 'So just f***ing answer.' Ethan Davis pleaded not guilty to five charges on Wednesday. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia She told Mr Davis she'd called police and again asked him to stop calling her, to which he sent her further texts for her to answer the phone and explain the situation to him. The following evening he crouched next to her car, wearing all black and latex gloves, and stood up as she approached after she finished work, telling her she would get in the car. He grabbed her after she responded no, and she screamed out for help as a car parked nearby began to pull away: it stopped briefly before driving off. The victim managed to briefly break away from Mr Davis before he grabbed her again and put his hand over her mouth, telling her to 'be quiet' and pushing her into a bush. On her back, he lay on top of her, telling her 'you're going to get into the car' before picking her up and taking her to the vehicle with his hand over her mouth. He extended the blade from a Leatherman multi tool at her once in the car and said 'co-operate, it doesn't have to be this bad'. 'What are you going to do to me, why have you got gloves on?' she asked him. 'I don't want to leave fingerprints. You have to get rid of the messages. Once that's done, I'll drop you to the car and everything will be OK,' he replied, with the agreed facts stating he promised not to hurt her. She then cried and shook the entire 35 minute car trip to Manly, where Mr Davis parked the car at the North Head lookout and made her unlock her phone with Face ID. He proceeded to delete all messages between the pair from all platforms, as well as screenshots she'd taken, including from the recently deleted folder on her phone. He then drove her back to where his own car was parked at the Marina and told her he was going to follow her home. 'The victim could see the offender in her rear-view mirror following her home the entire journey,' the agreed facts stated. She reported the matter at Bondi Police Station the following morning and Mr Davis was arrested shortly after. Police found black latex gloves, a Leatherman tool, dark clothes and a laptop in his car.
The Advertiser
02-06-2025
- The Advertiser
'We need her home so she can have dignity': grieving mum welcomes inquiry
Police are reviewing links between historic sexual assaults and missing Bathurst teen Jessica Small as they inch closer to a second inquest. NSW Police revealed on May 7 that new information had come to light in the case, identifying additional witnesses in Jessica's case. Those witnesses are now working with the NSW Crime Commission to progress the investigation. Jessica Small, aged 15, was last seen in the early hours of Sunday, October 26, 1997 after attending the Amuse Me amusement centre on Russell Street, Bathurst with a female friend. The girls were attempting to hitchhike home and entered a white-coloured sedan driven by an unknown man. Police were told the man stopped the car on Hereford Street, Bathurst and turned off the headlights before assaulting both girls, attempting to detain them in the vehicle. Jessica's friend was able to escape and alert nearby residents, but the car drove off with Jessica still inside. Investigators believe the last sighting of the vehicle was near Duramana Road and Willott Close, Eglinton, travelling toward Hill End. Head of homicide, Sydney-based Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi, said police are now looking at a number of sexual assaults which occurred in the Bathurst area around 1997, and the possibility they are related to Jessica's abduction. As the investigation progresses, he said they are appealing to anyone who may have had reservations about speaking with police at the time to come forward now. In an interview with A Current Affair, Supt Doueihi said police obtained information about the historic sexual assaults, which, while resolved, are now being revisited as part of Jessica's case. "We believe that this matter may somehow be related to those matters. "This investigation has never really been closed. It has been an active investigation for numerous years." Supt Doueihi said police had utilised the coercive powers of the NSW Crime Commission, telling A Current Affair "they have additional powers and resources that the NSW Police do not have, and we've called upon their services to assist us with this investigation". Almost 28 years after her daughter's abduction, Ricki Small clings to the hope that one day she will be able to bring Jessica home. And news earlier this month that a second inquest is planned into her daughter's 1997 disappearance has renewed her hope it will happen. "That's the most important thing to me," Ms Small said. "We need this solved so Jess can have dignity, peace and rest." She said she was glad police are still on Jessica's case. "Obviously I'm really happy with the new inquest," she said. Reflecting on the almost 28 years since Jessica was taken, she said it's like time has stood still while also moving on. "All these years have gone by; really, I'm amazed I'm still standing. "It's been a horrendous road." She said the trauma is there every single day. "I still live in Bathurst and there's things that remind me all the time. "There's the park [where the girls got in the car] and everywhere in Bathurst really. "I think where she would be and where she could be. "It's a sad existence, one part moving on in life while another will always be with Jess, back in October 1997. "Even my grandson Josh, he's 30 now. "He was two when she was taken. "Josh has kids himself now, which makes Jess a great-aunty. "The years, they all add up. "You always wonder what if. "Obviously, I've done some grieving over the years and now I would dearly love for the case to be solved and to bring her home. "That's what's most important to me, to bring her home. "We need this solved. We need her home so she can have dignity, rest and peace." But even if that happens, Ms Small knows that would lead to yet another road of grief for her. "It really never ends, it never will," she said. "But we love her, we want her home." She said any new witnesses "could shed a light on things" and that's what she is hanging her hope on. "I'm hoping for the best," she said, adding the years had taken their toll. "But I can't live back then [in 1997] and it can't be fixed." Police are reviewing links between historic sexual assaults and missing Bathurst teen Jessica Small as they inch closer to a second inquest. NSW Police revealed on May 7 that new information had come to light in the case, identifying additional witnesses in Jessica's case. Those witnesses are now working with the NSW Crime Commission to progress the investigation. Jessica Small, aged 15, was last seen in the early hours of Sunday, October 26, 1997 after attending the Amuse Me amusement centre on Russell Street, Bathurst with a female friend. The girls were attempting to hitchhike home and entered a white-coloured sedan driven by an unknown man. Police were told the man stopped the car on Hereford Street, Bathurst and turned off the headlights before assaulting both girls, attempting to detain them in the vehicle. Jessica's friend was able to escape and alert nearby residents, but the car drove off with Jessica still inside. Investigators believe the last sighting of the vehicle was near Duramana Road and Willott Close, Eglinton, travelling toward Hill End. Head of homicide, Sydney-based Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi, said police are now looking at a number of sexual assaults which occurred in the Bathurst area around 1997, and the possibility they are related to Jessica's abduction. As the investigation progresses, he said they are appealing to anyone who may have had reservations about speaking with police at the time to come forward now. In an interview with A Current Affair, Supt Doueihi said police obtained information about the historic sexual assaults, which, while resolved, are now being revisited as part of Jessica's case. "We believe that this matter may somehow be related to those matters. "This investigation has never really been closed. It has been an active investigation for numerous years." Supt Doueihi said police had utilised the coercive powers of the NSW Crime Commission, telling A Current Affair "they have additional powers and resources that the NSW Police do not have, and we've called upon their services to assist us with this investigation". Almost 28 years after her daughter's abduction, Ricki Small clings to the hope that one day she will be able to bring Jessica home. And news earlier this month that a second inquest is planned into her daughter's 1997 disappearance has renewed her hope it will happen. "That's the most important thing to me," Ms Small said. "We need this solved so Jess can have dignity, peace and rest." She said she was glad police are still on Jessica's case. "Obviously I'm really happy with the new inquest," she said. Reflecting on the almost 28 years since Jessica was taken, she said it's like time has stood still while also moving on. "All these years have gone by; really, I'm amazed I'm still standing. "It's been a horrendous road." She said the trauma is there every single day. "I still live in Bathurst and there's things that remind me all the time. "There's the park [where the girls got in the car] and everywhere in Bathurst really. "I think where she would be and where she could be. "It's a sad existence, one part moving on in life while another will always be with Jess, back in October 1997. "Even my grandson Josh, he's 30 now. "He was two when she was taken. "Josh has kids himself now, which makes Jess a great-aunty. "The years, they all add up. "You always wonder what if. "Obviously, I've done some grieving over the years and now I would dearly love for the case to be solved and to bring her home. "That's what's most important to me, to bring her home. "We need this solved. We need her home so she can have dignity, rest and peace." But even if that happens, Ms Small knows that would lead to yet another road of grief for her. "It really never ends, it never will," she said. "But we love her, we want her home." She said any new witnesses "could shed a light on things" and that's what she is hanging her hope on. "I'm hoping for the best," she said, adding the years had taken their toll. "But I can't live back then [in 1997] and it can't be fixed." Police are reviewing links between historic sexual assaults and missing Bathurst teen Jessica Small as they inch closer to a second inquest. NSW Police revealed on May 7 that new information had come to light in the case, identifying additional witnesses in Jessica's case. Those witnesses are now working with the NSW Crime Commission to progress the investigation. Jessica Small, aged 15, was last seen in the early hours of Sunday, October 26, 1997 after attending the Amuse Me amusement centre on Russell Street, Bathurst with a female friend. The girls were attempting to hitchhike home and entered a white-coloured sedan driven by an unknown man. Police were told the man stopped the car on Hereford Street, Bathurst and turned off the headlights before assaulting both girls, attempting to detain them in the vehicle. Jessica's friend was able to escape and alert nearby residents, but the car drove off with Jessica still inside. Investigators believe the last sighting of the vehicle was near Duramana Road and Willott Close, Eglinton, travelling toward Hill End. Head of homicide, Sydney-based Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi, said police are now looking at a number of sexual assaults which occurred in the Bathurst area around 1997, and the possibility they are related to Jessica's abduction. As the investigation progresses, he said they are appealing to anyone who may have had reservations about speaking with police at the time to come forward now. In an interview with A Current Affair, Supt Doueihi said police obtained information about the historic sexual assaults, which, while resolved, are now being revisited as part of Jessica's case. "We believe that this matter may somehow be related to those matters. "This investigation has never really been closed. It has been an active investigation for numerous years." Supt Doueihi said police had utilised the coercive powers of the NSW Crime Commission, telling A Current Affair "they have additional powers and resources that the NSW Police do not have, and we've called upon their services to assist us with this investigation". Almost 28 years after her daughter's abduction, Ricki Small clings to the hope that one day she will be able to bring Jessica home. And news earlier this month that a second inquest is planned into her daughter's 1997 disappearance has renewed her hope it will happen. "That's the most important thing to me," Ms Small said. "We need this solved so Jess can have dignity, peace and rest." She said she was glad police are still on Jessica's case. "Obviously I'm really happy with the new inquest," she said. Reflecting on the almost 28 years since Jessica was taken, she said it's like time has stood still while also moving on. "All these years have gone by; really, I'm amazed I'm still standing. "It's been a horrendous road." She said the trauma is there every single day. "I still live in Bathurst and there's things that remind me all the time. "There's the park [where the girls got in the car] and everywhere in Bathurst really. "I think where she would be and where she could be. "It's a sad existence, one part moving on in life while another will always be with Jess, back in October 1997. "Even my grandson Josh, he's 30 now. "He was two when she was taken. "Josh has kids himself now, which makes Jess a great-aunty. "The years, they all add up. "You always wonder what if. "Obviously, I've done some grieving over the years and now I would dearly love for the case to be solved and to bring her home. "That's what's most important to me, to bring her home. "We need this solved. We need her home so she can have dignity, rest and peace." But even if that happens, Ms Small knows that would lead to yet another road of grief for her. "It really never ends, it never will," she said. "But we love her, we want her home." She said any new witnesses "could shed a light on things" and that's what she is hanging her hope on. "I'm hoping for the best," she said, adding the years had taken their toll. "But I can't live back then [in 1997] and it can't be fixed." Police are reviewing links between historic sexual assaults and missing Bathurst teen Jessica Small as they inch closer to a second inquest. NSW Police revealed on May 7 that new information had come to light in the case, identifying additional witnesses in Jessica's case. Those witnesses are now working with the NSW Crime Commission to progress the investigation. Jessica Small, aged 15, was last seen in the early hours of Sunday, October 26, 1997 after attending the Amuse Me amusement centre on Russell Street, Bathurst with a female friend. The girls were attempting to hitchhike home and entered a white-coloured sedan driven by an unknown man. Police were told the man stopped the car on Hereford Street, Bathurst and turned off the headlights before assaulting both girls, attempting to detain them in the vehicle. Jessica's friend was able to escape and alert nearby residents, but the car drove off with Jessica still inside. Investigators believe the last sighting of the vehicle was near Duramana Road and Willott Close, Eglinton, travelling toward Hill End. Head of homicide, Sydney-based Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi, said police are now looking at a number of sexual assaults which occurred in the Bathurst area around 1997, and the possibility they are related to Jessica's abduction. As the investigation progresses, he said they are appealing to anyone who may have had reservations about speaking with police at the time to come forward now. In an interview with A Current Affair, Supt Doueihi said police obtained information about the historic sexual assaults, which, while resolved, are now being revisited as part of Jessica's case. "We believe that this matter may somehow be related to those matters. "This investigation has never really been closed. It has been an active investigation for numerous years." Supt Doueihi said police had utilised the coercive powers of the NSW Crime Commission, telling A Current Affair "they have additional powers and resources that the NSW Police do not have, and we've called upon their services to assist us with this investigation". Almost 28 years after her daughter's abduction, Ricki Small clings to the hope that one day she will be able to bring Jessica home. And news earlier this month that a second inquest is planned into her daughter's 1997 disappearance has renewed her hope it will happen. "That's the most important thing to me," Ms Small said. "We need this solved so Jess can have dignity, peace and rest." She said she was glad police are still on Jessica's case. "Obviously I'm really happy with the new inquest," she said. Reflecting on the almost 28 years since Jessica was taken, she said it's like time has stood still while also moving on. "All these years have gone by; really, I'm amazed I'm still standing. "It's been a horrendous road." She said the trauma is there every single day. "I still live in Bathurst and there's things that remind me all the time. "There's the park [where the girls got in the car] and everywhere in Bathurst really. "I think where she would be and where she could be. "It's a sad existence, one part moving on in life while another will always be with Jess, back in October 1997. "Even my grandson Josh, he's 30 now. "He was two when she was taken. "Josh has kids himself now, which makes Jess a great-aunty. "The years, they all add up. "You always wonder what if. "Obviously, I've done some grieving over the years and now I would dearly love for the case to be solved and to bring her home. "That's what's most important to me, to bring her home. "We need this solved. We need her home so she can have dignity, rest and peace." But even if that happens, Ms Small knows that would lead to yet another road of grief for her. "It really never ends, it never will," she said. "But we love her, we want her home." She said any new witnesses "could shed a light on things" and that's what she is hanging her hope on. "I'm hoping for the best," she said, adding the years had taken their toll. "But I can't live back then [in 1997] and it can't be fixed."
