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.