On October 7, 1992, a 12-year-old girl named Rhianna Barreau, who lived on Wakefield Avenue in Morphett Vale, South Australia, disappeared from her home. Rhianna lived with her mother, Paula, and her brother, Shannon, even though her parents were separated. She had a close bond with both of them.
Usually, during the school holidays, Rhianna would spend her time with her father, Leon, and his wife, Sandra, on the Gold Coast. However, on this particular occasion, she decided to stay home with her mother while her brother, Shannon, was away at a school camp.
Rhianna's plan was to take the bus to the Colonnades shopping center, which was approximately 6 kilometers away from their house. Her purpose was to purchase a Christmas card for her pen pal in America.
On the morning of her disappearance, around 8:30 am, Rhianna's mother, Paula, was getting ready to leave for work. Paula had heard on the radio that there would be a bus strike that day, so she went to Rhianna's room to discuss a change in plans. At that moment, Rhianna was listening to "Love Shack" by the B52's, one of her favorite songs. Paula suggested that, due to the bus strike, Rhianna consider walking to the Reynella shopping center, now known as the South Gate Plaza, instead.
With the change in plans, the Reynella shopping center, which was about 1.5 kilometers away and approximately a 20-minute walk from their home at the time, became Rhianna's new destination. Paula said her goodbyes to her daughter with a kiss, unaware that it would be their final interaction.
It is believed that Rhianna stayed at home until around 10:30 am, and then she was seen leaving and heading towards the shops. According to reports, Rhianna purchased the pen pal card from a newsagent at 11:19 am.
Between 12:05 pm and 12:30 pm, Rhianna was spotted once more, walking through the grounds of Morphett Vale High School, carrying a small bag suspected to contain the card.
While some sources suggest that this was the last confirmed sighting of Rhianna, other articles mention an additional sighting at around 4:00 pm. Reportedly, she was seen standing alone at the junction of David Terrace and Acre Avenue, which is a short 6-minute walk from her home on Wakefield Avenue.
At approximately 4:10 pm, Paula Barreau returned home to find the door locked. Upon entering, she discovered a record lying on the floor and the television still turned on. Rhianna's purchased card for her pen pal remained untouched in its plastic wrapper on the dining room table. Although Rhianna's personal belongings were still in the house, her daughter was nowhere to be found.
Paula conducted an extensive search, both inside and outside, even knocking on the doors of neighboring houses, but unfortunately, there were no signs of Rhianna. Although Paula held out hope that Rhianna might have extended her stay at a friend's house, she had a deep-seated belief that this was unlikely. Consequently, at 6 pm, the police were contacted to initiate their involvement.
During the time of Rhianna's disappearance, a neighbor reported hearing the distressing sound of a young girl screaming, although it remained uncertain whether this incident was connected to the case.
Search efforts for Rhianna were extensive and widespread, but unfortunately, no significant evidence has been uncovered to lead to an arrest.
Considering Rhianna's age and the prolonged absence of any communication from her for nearly three decades, the police are inclined to believe that she is no longer alive. They suspect that she was likely subjected to harm shortly after being abducted.
In 2015, the South Australian police launched an ongoing operation to resolve unsolved cases in the region, including Rhianna's. As part of their efforts, the police are offering immunity and a reward of one million dollars to anyone providing information that leads to the apprehension and conviction of those responsible for Rhianna's disappearance or harm.
0 Comments