Daughter of missing NSW woman Yvonne Whear describes pain of living without answers
L'essentiel
- Yvonne Whear, 73, disappeared nearly six months ago from northern NSW, last seen on Feb 19 near Murwillumbah.
- Her daughter, Gillian Hallac, expresses deep pain and believes her mother was taken and her car concealed.
- Police continue to investigate all possibilities, appealing for public assistance during National Missing Persons Week.
Résumé généré par IA
Pourquoi c'est important
Yvonne Whear, 73, vanished nearly six months ago from northern NSW after being seen at an art class and a service station, with her car recorded on CCTV near her farm. Her boots and hat were found at her home, and phone records show she checked voicemail before 5pm on February 19.
The daughter of a woman who disappeared in northern NSW nearly six months ago has described the pain of living without answers.
Yvonne Whear, 73, was last seen on the afternoon of February 19, when her car was recorded on CCTV travelling along Queensland Road in the direction of her farm near Murwillumbah.
"I just can't believe that six months has almost gone by," her daughter Gillian Hallac said.
"I haven't been able to sleep; we just can't do anything.
Ms Hallac said her mother had been to an art class at TAFE on the day of her disappearance.
She was seen at the Shell service station on Tweed Valley Way at Murwillumbah about 3:15pm.
Evidence suggests she made it home: the boots and hat she was wearing were found there.
Phone records also show Ms Whear watched some videos and shortly before 5pm, checked her voicemail.
She has not been seen or heard from since and her car has never been found.
A plea for answers
Ms Hallac said her mother might have been taken from the property and her vehicle deliberately concealed.
"That is my belief as her daughter, based on what I know about the circumstances in which she disappeared," she said.
"I strongly believe that there are people out there who know more than what they have been saying."
Ms Hallac said her mother was a "very private" person who cared deeply for the animals she kept on her small farm, and spoke to her family "almost every day".
"Since mum disappeared, she has missed countless family occasions," Ms Hallac said.
"We need to know where she is and what happened to her. We miss her presence in our lives every day."
Police open to all possibilities
Detective Inspector Paul Fenwick, the manager of the NSW Police missing persons registry, said "significant resources" had been invested into the search for Ms Whear.
"[Police have used] drones and helicopters that have travelled as far north from Murwillumbah up to Tomewin, which is just near the Queensland border," he said.
"Police boats and police divers, using sonar equipment, have travelled through the Rous and the Tweed Rivers as far east as Fingal Head."
NSW Police said Ms Whear's disappearance was the subject of "considerable speculation" but the investigation remained open to all possibilities.
Inspector Fenwick said there was no evidence to suggest Ms Whear intended to voluntarily disappear.
"We're asking [for people to come forward] if anyone had seen Yvonne, if anyone had seen her car, if anyone had been through that area that time and was capturing dash cam footage that hadn't been reviewed at all, if they saw anything unusual at all … regardless of how small they feel it is," he said.
The appeal comes during National Missing Persons Week, which aims to raise public awareness about cases across the country.
Inspector Fenwick said it was important to acknowledge the uncertainty families faced.
"Our theme this year is simple but strong: that answers still matter."
Questions ouvertes
- What happened to Yvonne Whear after she returned home?
- Where is her car?
- Who knows more about her disappearance?