A young British girl named Cheryl Grimmer disappeared without a trace 55 years ago while her family was on a beach outing. Cheryl, along with her parents Carole and Vince, and brothers Ricki, Stephen, and Paul, relocated from Bristol to Australia in 1968 for a fresh start. Unfortunately, less than two years later, three-year-old Cheryl went missing.
On January 12, 1970, Cheryl vanished during a routine family day at the beach. Her mother, Carole, decided it was time to leave, and as the children were getting ready in the shower block, Cheryl’s older brother, Ricki, noticed her absence. When Carole arrived at the shower area, Cheryl was nowhere to be found.
A frantic search ensued, with authorities considering various scenarios including Cheryl hiding, being swept away by the ocean, falling into a waterway, or being abducted. Despite initial suspects, a local teenager known as Mercury confessed to Cheryl’s murder in the early 1970s but was not charged due to lack of evidence.
In 2016, the case was reopened, leading to Mercury’s arrest in 2017. However, the trial was dismissed, and Mercury’s identity remained protected. Recently, Australian parliament member Jeremy Buckingham revealed Mercury’s real name and called for a fresh investigation into Cheryl’s murder.
Cheryl’s family, who have endured decades of uncertainty, urged Mercury to provide information or face public exposure. Ricki, Cheryl’s brother, expressed regret for his actions on the day of her disappearance and vowed to continue seeking justice for his sister.