Missing teen's mum hits back at online trolls
The mother of missing teenager Phoebe Bishop has hit back at vile social media comments, following an appeal to the public alongside police to help find her daughter.
Kylie Johnson appeared in a video appeal urging anyone who had seen a grey Hyundai ix35 - which her daughter Pheobe was reportedly travelling in before she disappeared - to contact police.
But after vile comments began appearing on the video, Ms Johnson took matters into her own hands.
In a post on her Facebook account, she hit back at the trolls who were attacking her tone and demeanour.
'I'm sorry that I'm currently an emotional wreck, trying to protect our other children from the media and the trolls, trying to continue to breathe while your world shatters around you!,' she posted on Saturday.
Ms Johnson's daughter, 17-year-old Phoebe Bishop, has been missing since May 15, when the teenager failed to board a flight at Bundaberg Airport.
After searching bushland in the regional Queensland city, police put out a video statement read by Ms Johnson over the weekend, where the mother pleads for information.
After the police statement was published online, commenters began to criticise the way Ms Johnson spoke and her demeanour.
'People wanted a statement, they got one yet still question me as a mother?,' Ms Johnson posted afterwards.
'If anyone would like to be in this position please step in and show me how to do this? Show me what a perfect parent looks like' she said, defending herself.
'Show me how to navigate this? Show me how to deal with the unknown and the uncertainty? Show me how to use perfect language and emotion in a situation that no parent ever wants to be in.'
Ms Johnson has posted daily about the search for Phoebe, and acknowledges she has left her social media accounts open to the public to maintain awareness of her missing daughter, despite rife and derogatory comments from members of the public.
'My posts aren't public to defend myself or react to negative comments. In fact negative comments also draw conversations and that's what we as a family need to bring Phee home,' she posted last week.
'Hell I will take any conversation if it has my baby walking down our driveway or calling any of us.
'So please don't be mad at the trolls. They have a role to play just like the amazing people who honestly just want our Phoebe home.'
Phoebe was last seen on May 15, travelling toward Bundaberg Airport. Her housemates told police they drove Phoebe to the airport in a grey Hyundai ix35 for her 8.30am flight. But Phoebe did not enter the airport. Police have searched their house and charged the flatmates with unrelated weapon possession charges.
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