In light of missing persons week, the Riverina Police District has urged Wagga to be aware of the issues and impacts associated with missing people.
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Detective Chief Inspector Darren Cloake said there are six long-term missing people cases in the Riverina.
“They range from 1968 to 2017,” he said.
“The more contemporary issues relates to the Allecha Boyd disappearance or her [alleged] murder.”
Chief Inspector Cloake said he urged her family to not give up hope, as Friday marked a year since her disappearance.
“We will extend all of our efforts and resources to locating Allecha Boyd and bringing her home,” he said.
Investigations are still ongoing, but they still believe her body is Lester State Forest, Chief Inspector Cloake said.
“We still work off the pretext that she is located there,” he said.
Chief Inspector Cloake said the reasons as to why people go missing varies.
“Certainly research would suggest there is a number of factors such as mental health, dementia in elderly people, miscommunication or social disconnect,” he said.
“We do ask that people who are exhibiting those signs are given the necessary care.
“For those who do go missing, it is very important that family members do report it to us in the very first instance.”
Chief Inspector Cloake stressed concerned community members do not need to wait 24 hours before making a report.
“If someone has acted out of character or they are not meeting scheduled appointments by all means give your local police a call,” he said.
The impacts on the family can be profound, Chief Inspector Cloake said.
“There is an emotional consequence, there is a financial consequence,” he said.
“One key message is that the door is always open, if you are a missing person by all means let someone know.”
Chief Inspector Cloake also spoke of Niamh Maye, who was last seen alive at Jingellic on the NSW/Victorian border just before Easter, 2002.
She was driven to Tumut by an associate and allegedly left a short distance from Tumut on the Gocup Road.
Strike Force YOLA was established to investigate her disappearance and investigating police believe that Ms Maye is deceased.
For anyone who has information in relation to any missing person cases they are urged to Crime Stoppers NSW on 1800 333 000.