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ABC News
4 days ago
- ABC News
Siblings who discovered the body of Rosemary Brown 25 years ago speak publicly for the first time
It was a crisp winter's day on July 2, 2000, when Sarah and James Fidock went fishing with their father on Garden Island in Adelaide's north-west. Sarah was 10 years old, while James was eight. They quickly grew bored of waiting for a fish to bite, so they started to explore the shoreline in search of rock crabs. The tide was out as the pair walked through the dense mangroves with their buckets in hand. What the siblings were about to find would stay with them for the rest of their lives. The body of 33-year-old Rosemary Brown was lying face down submerged in thick mud. She and her 15-year-old daughter Melissa Trussell had been missing for seven weeks. James found the body first and was shocked by what he had stumbled across. "She was lying there, fairly decomposed at that point. I think some of the sea creatures must have gotten to her at that point too," he said. His older sister Sarah was terrified. She still remembers the moment vividly. "I was really scared, my mind went to automatically, you know, the [alleged] killer could still be out here, we've got to get out of here ... That's where my mind went as a 10-year-old," she said. The pair ran back to find their father, who was still fishing on the jetty. He took them straight to the Port Adelaide Police Station to report what they had found. Sarah said police officers asked the children if they could have mistaken the body for a doll or mannequin. "I could describe what she was wearing, she was wearing black tracksuit pants," she said. "They had the elastic bands at her ankles, she was wearing sneakers and she was wearing a flannelette top, and she had long hair, and she was face down." The sun had set and the tide had come in by the time the Fidock family returned to the island with detectives. It took police about half an hour to locate Rosemary's body in the dark as Sarah led the way. "She was probably 150 metres from the shore and so I've had to walk — put the big police gumboots on to walk — through water and sludge and everything else," she said. It's now 25 later and Rosemary's daughter, Melissa, has still not been found. Police believe the teenager and her mother were murdered but detectives have no motive and no one has ever been charged in relation to their disappearance. Police launched a new appeal this month to help solve the 25-year-old cold case, and police divers spent Friday searching the waters and coast of Garden Island in an area not previously explored. SA Police suspended the search on Friday afternoon and said a vehicle had been located in the area, with further inquiries to be undertaken to determine whether it is connected to the case. They are also forensically re-testing evidence with new technology that was unavailable 25 years ago. Until now, the Fidock siblings have never spoken publicly about their discovery. Sarah has not been able to return to Garden Island, she doesn't go to the beach, and has never gone fishing again. She said she always hoped Melissa was still alive and has decided to finally speak to shed light on the case. "But for her to still be lost out there, and there's a family that don't know where she is and who need her home, if I can do just a little something, then it's about time that I do it." James, now 33, feels the same, and said Rosemary and Melissa's family deserve to know what happened. "Coming up yearly and seeing that the family hasn't had closure still does affect me and my sister to this day," he said. "I hope it's done as soon as possible, they deserve closure, everyone deserves closure for it." Both Sarah and James, who now have young children of their own, have praised SA Police for how their family were supported after finding Rosemary's body. Police have offered a reward of up to $1,000,000 for information and assistance that leads to the conviction of those responsible for the suspected murder of Melissa, while a reward of up to $200,000 has been on offer for the same in Rosemary's case. The Fidock siblings have joined renewed calls from police and family members for any information on the case. "I'm sorry that, you know, we found her — that also makes me feel guilty," Sarah said. "We didn't do anything, but knowing that we were a part of them [the family] having their hearts broken, that also hurts us.
The Australian
5 days ago
- The Australian
Police announce renewed search for Melissa Trussell, 25 years after disappearance
A renewed search has been launched for the remains of Melissa Trussell, who was last seen with her mother in South Australia more than 25 years ago. Rosemary Brown, 33, and her 15-year-old daughter Melissa Trussell, who is also known as Melissa Brown, were last seen leaving their house in Blair Athol in northern Adelaide on May 13, 2000. Melissa Trussell went missing more than 25 years ago. Picture: SA Police Police believe the teenager was murdered, but are yet to find her remains. Picture: Supplied / SAPOL Rosemary's handbag was found later that day in Stirling St in Northfield, but it wasn't handed into police until 10 days later when an appeal to find the missing pair was made public. Her body was found in the mangroves of Garden Island in the city's northwest on July 2, 2000. However her daughter Melissa was never found, with police suspecting she had been killed. More than 25 years later, South Australia Police have begun a renewed search for the missing teenager, with police combing a previously unsearched area of Garden Island. 'This search demonstrates that we will not give up looking for answers,' Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said. 'We will continue to investigate this matter and will not stop until we can provide closure and hopefully justice for the loved ones of both Rosemary Brown and Melissa Trussell.' No one has ever been charged in relation to their disappearances or deaths. In May, Acting Detective Superintendent Andrew Macrae said despite the passage of time, police remained dedicated to uncovering the truth and holding those responsible accountable. 'We encourage anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward,' he said. 'Your assistance could be crucial in helping us piece together the events surrounding this tragic incident.' A renewed search has been called, with police identifying an area of Garden Island that was previously unsearched. Picture: SA Police Speaking to the ABC, Melissa's father Barry Trussell said he had many unanswered questions about his daughter's disappearance. 'The what ifs, you know - what sort of mother would she have been? What sort of life would she have led?' he said. 'All these things are taken away from her and extra enjoyment we could've got out of life, having her involved in our life.' The missing girl's sister, Kayla, said her family had experienced 'decades of pain' and urged anyone with information to come forward. 'It's all that we can really ask for,' she said. The SA government and SA Police are offering a reward of up to $1m to anyone who provides information that leads to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for the suspected murder of the teenager. Additionally, rewards of up to $250,000 are available for anyone who provides information that leads to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for the suspected murder of Rosemary Brown. Read related topics: Adelaide
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Fresh search launched for teen missing for decades
Police divers are scouring a river bed in the hopes of uncovering the remains of a 15-year-old girl believed to have been murdered more than two decades ago. Melissa Trussell and her mother Rosemary Brown, 33, were last seen leaving their South Australian home at Blair Athol about 2.30am on May 13, 2000. Rosemary's body was located in the Garden Island mangroves weeks later but Melissa's body was never found. Police launched a fresh search on Friday in the Port River estuary at Garden Island in the hopes of uncovering Melissa's remains to provide her family with closure. Divers are scouring a previously unsearched area of water and mangroves on the island's northern side. "This search really does show to everyone that we never give up trying to find answers to those investigations," Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke told reporters. "We are hopeful that we will find Melissa's remains today, but we are not sure that we will." Det Fielke did not know why the particular area near Garden Island had never been searched 25 years ago but a cold case review identified it as a place for further investigations. A number of exhibits obtained in the initial investigation have been resubmitted for forensic testing to see if modern technology might result in new leads. Police believe Melissa and her mother were murdered in 2000, but no one has ever been charged, nor has any motive been revealed. Det Fielke was still hopeful someone would come forward and explain what really happened to the pair. "Twenty-five years is a long time, a lot of water goes under the bridge, people's allegiances change over time, people forget about it, some people don't forget about it," he said. "We are always in there prodding and poking away trying to get a breakthrough." Melissa's father Barry Trussell earlier this month issued a plea for information to help provide closure on the 25th anniversary of Rosemary's body being found. "A parent shouldn't outlive their child … and for a long time (Melissa's disappearance) has messed me up," he said. "I'm hoping some fresh information will finally come to light to help police solve the case." A reward of $1 million is available to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest of a suspect in Melissa's murder or the recovery of her remains. Up to $200,000 is available to anyone with information that leads to the arrest or conviction of those responsible for Rosemary's murder.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- News.com.au
‘Decades of pain': Police announce renewed search for Melissa Trussell, 25 years after disappearance
A renewed search has been launched for the remains of Melissa Trussell, who was last seen with her mother in South Australia more than 25 years ago. Rosemary Brown, 33, and her 15-year-old daughter Melissa Trussell, who is also known as Melissa Brown, were last seen leaving their house in Blair Athol in northern Adelaide on May 13, 2000. Rosemary's handbag was found later that day in Stirling St in Northfield, but it wasn't handed into police until 10 days later when an appeal to find the missing pair was made public. Her body was found in the mangroves of Garden Island in the city's northwest on July 2, 2000. However her daughter Melissa was never found, with police suspecting she had been killed. More than 25 years later, South Australia Police have begun a renewed search for the missing teenager, with police combing a previously unsearched area of Garden Island. 'This search demonstrates that we will not give up looking for answers,' Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said. 'We will continue to investigate this matter and will not stop until we can provide closure and hopefully justice for the loved ones of both Rosemary Brown and Melissa Trussell.' No one has ever been charged in relation to their disappearances or deaths. In May, Acting Detective Superintendent Andrew Macrae said despite the passage of time, police remained dedicated to uncovering the truth and holding those responsible accountable. 'We encourage anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward,' he said. 'Your assistance could be crucial in helping us piece together the events surrounding this tragic incident.' Speaking to the ABC, Melissa's father Barry Trussell said he had many unanswered questions about his daughter's disappearance. 'The what ifs, you know - what sort of mother would she have been? What sort of life would she have led?' he said. 'All these things are taken away from her and extra enjoyment we could've got out of life, having her involved in our life.' The missing girl's sister, Kayla, said her family had experienced 'decades of pain' and urged anyone with information to come forward. 'It's all that we can really ask for,' she said. The SA government and SA Police are offering a reward of up to $1m to anyone who provides information that leads to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for the suspected murder of the teenager. Additionally, rewards of up to $250,000 are available for anyone who provides information that leads to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for the suspected murder of Rosemary Brown.
ABC News
5 days ago
- ABC News
Fresh search underway for missing person Melissa Trussell in 25-year Adelaide cold case
South Australian police divers have launched a new search for the body of 15-year-old Adelaide girl Melissa Trussell, who went missing in 2000 in a suspected double murder. Melissa and her 33-year-old mother, Rosemary Brown, were last seen in Blair Athol, in Adelaide's north, at about 2:30am on Saturday, May 13, 2000. Ms Brown's body was found seven weeks later in mangroves at Garden Island in Adelaide's northwest on July 2, but Melissa's body has never been found. Today, police divers are hoping to find Melissa's remains in a previously unsearched area of water and mangroves on the northern side of Garden Island. Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said the "extensive and thorough" search may take several days. "The reason we are here today is purely as a result of the work that the major crime detectives have done in the cold case team to identify areas that haven't been searched prior to today," he said. Asked why the area was not searched before, Superintendent Fielke said he did not know. "It is just one of those areas that we have identified during our cold case review that just wasn't done," he said. "So I can't speak to why it wasn't done 25 years ago.' Police believe the teenager and her mother were murdered but detectives have no motive and no one has ever been charged for any offence relating to their disappearance. According to SA Police, a number of people have been identified as persons of interests over the past 25 years. "25 years is a long time, a lot of water goes under the bridge, people's allegiances change overtime, people forget about it, some people don't forget about it," Superintendent Fielke said. "We are always in there prodding and poking away trying to get a breakthrough. "So, in some ways, the passage of time is helpful to us because of those allegiances that break down, it might just be time for someone to come forward and tell us what really happened." Earlier this month, Melissa's father, Barry Trussell, and her sister, Kayla Trussell, joined renewed calls from police for information on the case. The appeal marked 25 years since Rosemary's body was discovered. Since that appeal, police have received a number of calls which investigators are now working through. Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said the information has been useful. "We are always looking for information no matter how minute that information might be, how insignificant someone might think that information might be," he said. "It might just be the piece to the puzzle we are looking for in terms of trying to solve this long-term investigation." SA Police also released a new image this year of Melissa in an attempt to spark public interest in the cold case. According to Crime Stoppers SA, Rosemary was evicted from the Windsor Gardens Caravan Park on May 3, and moved around in the days before her disappearance. A reward of up to $1,000,000 has been on offer for information and assistance that leads to the conviction of those responsible for the suspected murder of Melissa, while a reward of up to $200,000 has been on offer for the same in Rosemary's case. Those with information are asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.
