Kidnapper was taken almost half a century after the crime, but they could not be punished (8 photos)

Serenity, summer, sun, beach. Four children went to the beach shower to wash off the salt and sand after splashing in sea. But not everyone returned to their mother.





Sons, sobbing, said that some guy grabbed them little sister and ran away. The story took place in a fairly large Australian city of Wollongong. January 12, 1970 Vince Grimmer as usually went to the service (the man was a military man). And Carol's wife decided take the kids to the beach.

The boys were between 4 and 7 years old, and baby Cheryl was only 3 years old. The hostel where Grimmer was given housing was located within walking distance accessibility from the beach. And the housewife Carol used to go there very often time with the children while the husband was in the service.



Grimmer family

That day passed like many others before it, in the hustle and bustle and splashing in the water. In the lunch area, the woman took the children to the shower room, and She began to collect her things.

A few minutes later, the eldest son Rick rushed in and became confused explain that my sister is missing. She is nowhere. Carol ran to shower room, examined the stalls, interviewed other people.



Cheryl

During the interview of witnesses, the arriving police officers found out that near the shower they saw a guy who was holding a wrapped in a towel girl. Three main versions were considered: the baby was picked up by strangers people, seeing that she was lost, she was swept into the ocean. Or kidnapping.



Search

Since the case received wide publicity, the police themselves unwittingly, they tossed the idea of easy money to another scoundrel. relatives planted a note demanding a $10,000 ransom. There was hope that Cheryl was alive. The money was taken to the appointed place, but no one came for the package. In all likelihood, the extortionist knew the principles of the work of the police, because he was somehow connected with the police.



Cheryl with her father

The suspect, the only one, was detained only after one and a half of the year. He turned out to be the son of a local businessman. The name remains classified. But it is known that the guy confessed.

The kidnapper explained that he noticed the girl in the shower. And taking it hands, gone. Seeing that the fuss with the search began, boy, watching the action from the bushes, clamped the girl's mouth so that she would not screamed. But he overreacted. And the child suffocated.



He carried the body to the bushes and buried it. But the place never could show. True, he gave details that were not published in the press: the color of the child's swimsuit and towel.

Either paternal connections and money played their role, or a young man he really was not himself, but in 1971 he was released. The case went to archive. The family has moved. But in 2017, the meticulous investigator again issued an arrest warrant for the same suspect. Now an elderly 63 year old man.



Suspect in 2017

Surprisingly, he again repeated the confession. Only place burial indicated another. But in 47 years, the relief has completely changed, construction work has been carried out on the site. And there are no traces to be found managed.

At that time, not only Australian, but also world media wrote, that in such a resonant case, finally, an end has been put. But the defendant acquitted again. The judge considered that in the absence of evidence - the bodies, towels, a bathing suit, recognition alone is not enough. Plus intervened again elite lawyers. And during the trial, the accused refused testimony.



The girl's parents did not learn about the retrial. In 2017 year they were no longer alive. The only ghostly hope confirmation of the crime - the remains of the victim. But will they find ever is unknown. However, everyone who participated in proceedings and followed its course, we are sure that the defendant is real killer. And it remains to hope for punishment from above, if justice on earth never prevailed.