Missing teen's brother asks heartbreaking question as hunt for sister continues
Aussie teenager Phoebe Bishop, 17, vanished after being dropped off at an Airport in Queensland for a flight to Brisbane then Perth to meet her boyfriend - but she never arrived
The mum of missing Aussie teenager Phoebe Bishop has shared a tragic question she was asked by her young son as the hunt for the teenager continues.
Phoebe, 17, vanished after being dropped at Bundaberg Airport in Queensland on May 15. The teen had been living in Gin Gin with couple Tanika Bromley and James Wood, who officers believe drove her to the airport that morning for a scheduled 8.30am flight to Brisbane. She was then expected to travel on to Perth to meet her boyfriend, but never arrived.
Detectives have since declared two locations as crime scenes - the Gin Gin residence where she was staying, and a silver Hyundai ix35 believed to have been used to take her to the airport. Over the weekend, police teams, including cadaver dogs, searched dense terrain in Good Night Scrub National Park - approximately an hour from where she was last seen.
In a heartbreaking message shared on Facebook, Phoebe's mum Kylie Johnson said life was living a "heavy hell" with the case also heavily impacting her son - who was left asking why his sister won't return his calls. "Not knowing what to say, what to do or even how to continue to live in this cyclone of uncertainty," she wrote.
"The tears come, the anger and frustrations come and most of all our hearts are shattering more and more each day. Your little man/brother asked yesterday 'Why won't Phee take our calls? She always takes our calls!' Mate I wish I knew but we have to believe that the police and the lights that our amazing community are leaving on will going to bring her home to us."
Phoebe's last posts on social media suggests she may have fallen out with her mum before moving in with Ms Bromley and Mr Wood - who were both questioned by police before being released without charge.
CCTV footage surfaced online appearing to show a silver Hyundai ix35 - matching the vehicle linked to Phoebe's disappearance - driving through Gin Gin's backstreets at 10.30am on May 15, around two hours after she was reportedly dropped off at Bundaberg Airport.
By Friday night, Queensland Police revealed they had located an item of possible significance within Good Night Scrub National Park. Detective Acting Inspector Ryan Thompson confirmed a police dive team had scoured a creek in the area.
"Police have subsequently been conducting some searches of the Good Night Scrub National Park in the hopes of finding some evidence in relation to her disappearance," he said. "There are no specific persons of interest, however, police are following up all avenues of enquiry." Officers did not specify whether or not the item found was linked to Phoebe
The following day, police expanded their search, launching a comprehensive land, water, and aerial operation across the rugged terrain of the park. The Queensland State Emergency Service joined the effort, while police divers continued to scour local waterways. Investigators are focused on mapping the movements of the Hyundai around the time Phoebe went missing.
"Police are trying to nail down the timeline to where this vehicle has gone," detective acting inspector Thompson said. "We do have associates that are assisting police with our inquiries at the moment, and this is why we're trying to narrow down that timeline in relation to where Phoebe could be," he said.
Phoebe, who was traveling with luggage, was last seen wearing a green tank top and grey tracksuit pants. Earlier searches around Bundaberg Airport and nearby areas turned up none of her belongings.
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Daily Record
8 hours ago
- Daily Record
Pheobe Bishop's mum 'ripped apart' as body found in search of missing teen
On Friday, a body was discovered close to the Good Night Scrub National Park, near Gin Gin, in Queensland. Pheobe Bishop 's mum has told how she has been "ripped apart" after police discovered a body in search of the missing teen. The 17-year-old vanished after failing to check in for her flight at Bundaberg Regional Airport in Queensland on the morning of May 15. The search for the teenager gripped the nation and earlier this week, her flatmates James and Tanika Bromley were arrested and charged with one count of murder and two counts each of interfering with a corpse. On Friday, a body was discovered close to the Good Night Scrub National Park, near Gin Gin, in Queensland. State police said: "The remains are yet to be formally identified; however, investigators are in contact with the family of missing 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop." The teenager's heartbroken mum, Kylie Johynson, wrote on Facebook: 'I didn't think my heart could break anymore then it did when you went missing, or when the charges where laid but this! This is ripping me apart…' The update from police on the discovery of the body also stated: 'The brief search commenced after further enquires and investigations today, with the discovery being made by specialist units around 2.30pm. "The remains are yet to be formally identified; however, investigators are in contact with the family of missing 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop. A crime scene has been declared at the location and forensic examinations are continuing.' And it also made an appeal to the public over a car. 'Police continue to appeal for any information in relation to Pheobe Bishop or the movement of a grey Hyundai IX35 between May 15 to 18 in the greater Gin Gin area. Investigations continue,' it stated. Detectives believe that Pheobe was in a car with her housemates when it arrived close to Bundaberg Airport on May 15 but that she never boarded a flight to Western Australia to reunite with her boyfriend. Pheobe's mum earlier today wrote on social media that a candlelit vigil would be held for her daughter on Sunday, June 8. She said: "This is for our amazing community! Honestly we have received calls, txts and so many messages of support. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "Like most Rural families we are resilient, proud and strong but this has brought us to our knees like no drought ever could. This vigil is a way of our family acknowledging Pheobe's impact on our Community, their efforts and the importance of a community that cares! "For those reasons this is an important part of a communities healing. While we don't have Phee Home to put to rest just yet, our community needs the healing process to start."
Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Missing girl's mum 'ripped apart' as body found in search for missing teenager
Police searching for 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop, who went missing after failing to check-in for a flight at Bundaberg Regional Airport in Queensland, have said they have discovered a body A mum of a missing 17-year-old girl has told how she is 'ripped apart' after police said they had found a body. Pheobe Bishop disappeared after failing to check in for her flight at Bundaberg Regional Airport in Queensland on Thursday May 15 at 8.30am which raised concerns for her welfare and sparked a major police search. The search for the teenager gripped the nation and on Thursday her housemates James and Tanika Bromley were arrested and charged with one count of murder and two counts each of interfering with a corpse. And yesterday a body was found close to the Good Night Scrub National Park, near Gin Gin, in Queensland. State police said: " The remains are yet to be formally identified; however, investigators are in contact with the family of missing 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop." And now Pheobe's distraught mum Kylie Johnson has written on Facebook how the news was 'ripping me apart'. She said: 'I didn't think my heart could break anymore then it did when you went missing, or when the charges where laid but this! This is ripping me apart…' The update from police on the discovery of the body also stated: 'The brief search commenced after further enquires and investigations today, with the discovery being made by specialist units around 2:30pm. "The remains are yet to be formally identified; however, investigators are in contact with the family of missing 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop. A crime scene has been declared at the location and forensic examinations are continuing.' And it also made an appeal to the public over a car. 'Police continue to appeal for any information in relation to Pheobe Bishop or the movement of a grey Hyundai IX35 between May 15 to 18 in the greater Gin Gin area. Investigations continue,' it stated. Detectives believe that Pheobe was in a car with her housemates when it arrived close to Bundaberg Airport on May 15 but that she never boarded a flight to Western Australia to reunite with her boyfriend. Pheobe's mum earlier today wrote on social media that a candlelit vigil would be held for her daughter on Sunday, June 8. She said: "This is for our amazing community! Honestly we have received calls, txts and so many messages of support. "Like most Rural families we are resilient, proud and strong but this has brought us to our knees like no drought ever could. This vigil is a way of our family acknowledging Pheobe's impact on our Community, their efforts and the importance of a community that cares! "For those reasons this is an important part of a communities healing. While we don't have Phee Home to put to rest just yet, our community needs the healing process to start."
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Full tragic timeline of 3-week hunt for Pheobe Bishop – from airport disappearance to housemate arrests and horror find
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PHEOBE Bishop mysteriously vanished over three weeks ago in a gripping disappearance case which puzzled the world. The shocking story has been plagued by grim twists and heartbreaking pleas after the 17-year-old teenager went missing near an airport on May 15. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 16 Australian teen Pheobe Bishop disappeared over three weeks ago Credit: Facebook 16 Both of her housemates were arrested and charged with murder Credit: Queensland Police 16 An extensive search was launched in the weeks after she vanished Credit: 9 News 16 Her heartbroken mum made an emotional series of posts over the last three weeks Credit: Enterprise 16 Before she disappeared, Pheobe had been living in the town of Gin Gin, which is north of Brisbane in Australia. The sleepy neighbourhood has a population of about 1,100 people. The teenager had been living in a derelict pad - which had a foul smell and was very noisy according to neighbours. She lived there with two housemates: James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33. On the day she went missing, Pheobe was meant to board a flight to see her boyfriend in Western Australia. Her housemates drove her to Bundaberg airport, but police said CCTV there never even saw her enter the terminal and she never actually checked in. She was on her way to Perth to visit her "high-school sweetheart" boyfriend. Pheobe reportedly made a last minute call to him at 8:30am mere moments before she was set to get on the flight to Western Australia. A family member said: "She didn't check in for her flight to visit her boyfriend who she spoke to on the phone at 8.30am." According to the Daily Mail, Wood said the couple had an explosive argument in the car with Pheobe over whether she could do her makeup before arriving at the airport. He said they pulled over just under a kilometre from their destination. Pheobe Bishop cops arrest 34-year-old flatmate who was last to see missing Aussie teen on explosive journey to airport Wood and Bromley then allegedly walked off and were away from Pheobe and the car for five minutes, according to the 34-year-old. A missing person's report was issued for her one day later on May 16. Her worried sick sister, Kaylea Bishop, sent Wood and Bromley a simple text, demanding to know the whereabouts of her sibling. She said: "Where is my sister?" On the following weekend, her desperate mum Kylie Johnson made emotional pleas for anyone with information to come forward. By May 18, over 400 missing person posters with Pheobe's photo had been plastered across the Wide Bay region. The next week, on Monday May 19, police launched their search for Pheobe. It covered land along Bundaberg's Airport Drive and the surrounding areas. 16 The 17-year-old had been living in a derelict home Credit: Enterprise 16 Housemate Tanika Bromley, 33 Credit: Enterprise 16 Housemate James Wood, 34 Credit: Facebook 16 A shock change was discovered on Bromley's car Credit: Facebook But mysteriously, police didn't find any sign of the teen or her belongings. Police, along with Pheobe's mum, described her disappearance as out of character on May 20. They also asked the public for information about the 2011 grey Hyundai ix35 hatch, owned by Bromley, that had been seen around Airport Drive at the time of Pheoebe's disappearance. The next day, police updated the case and said they were treating Pheobe's disappearance as a suspicious. They also declared two crime scenes - one being the run-down home she was living at, and the other being the infamous Hyundai she was driven to the airport in. After inspecting the foul-smelling home, police found four dead dogs rotting inside. But it was later understood that these four pups died of natural causes. Airport Drive, Samuels Road and Gin Gin were also named as locations of interest. On May 22, Detective Acting Inspector Ryan Thompson stressed the importance of public information. In a chilling plea, he said: "People don't vanish." 16 The desperate search had previously been called off Credit: 9 News 16 Bromley's Hyundai was declared a crime scene Credit: 7 News 16 Pheobe's mum said the discovery of a body had ripped her apart Credit: Facebook The day after that, police revealed they were searching through bushland and waterways at Good Night Scrub National Park, near to where Pheobe was last seen. This scan went on for the next two days, during which police dogs joined the hunt. On May 25 Bromley was arrested in a major twist after police allegedly found weapons in her silver Hyundai. On May 26, the search area was expanded - before cops made a harrowing revelation. They believed evidence had been moved from the Good Night Scrub area before they arrived there. And on this same day, a new number plate was discovered to have been suspiciously painted and taped over the notorious Hyundai's original plate. The gruelling search effort in Good Night Scrub National Park then continued from May 27 for five more days. Disturbingly, the search appeared to lose hope as police said they would no longer be doing any more physical scans for Pheobe on Wednesday, June 4. They said they would restart any searches only when they had relevant information. But in a dramatic twist on the very same day - Pheobe's housemate Wood was arrested. 16 She had saved up for months to buy a plane ticket Credit: Enterprise 16 The teenager was set to board a flight on May 15 Credit: Enterprise However, no charges were made and he was released a day later on June 5. And in yet another turn in the tale - Wood and Bromley were then both arrested and charged with murder on the same day Wood was released - exactly three weeks after Pheobe went missing. They were each charged with one count of murder and two counts of interfering with a corpse. Shocking footage released on Friday showed the moment police arrested Wood and escorted him out of an RV for the "homicide of Pheobe Bishop". Both Wood and Bromley appeared at Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Friday morning. Outside the building, Pheobe's heartbroken sister Kaylea Bishop said her sibling was 'loved and missed' dearly. Kaylea and Pheobe had a close relationship and were planning to move in together last year. And in the latest heartbreaking update, human remains were found during a search for Pheobe. They are yet to be identified, but police have spoken to Pheobe's family regarding the harrowing discovery. The body was found close to Good Night Scrub National Park, near Gin Gin, on Friday, June 6 at around 2:30pm. 16 Pheobe was last seen with Wood and Bromley on May 15 Credit: Facebook 16 Police constantly pleaded with the public to bring forward any information Credit: Facebook Pheobe's mum then made a heartbreaking statement. She said: "I didn't think my heart could break anymore than it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this. "This is ripping me apart." Pheobe had previously said online that she wasn't living with her mum, and that she had been "in and out" of home for years. Cops are now set to allege that Wood, Bromley and Pheobe were all in the car when it arrived at Airport Drive near Bundaberg Airport in the morning of May 15. They believe that the trio never actually left the car. Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield said: "Our evidence will outline the fact that three people arrived near to the airport, and three people never exited that vehicle." Wood and Bromley will appear in court on August 11.
