Parents of Kirste Gordon and sister of Joanne Ratcliffe tell of pain over abduction, presumed murder, on International Missing Childrens Day
ALMOST 43 years since their daughter and a friend were snatched from Adelaide Oval, the parents of Kirste Gordon have told of their pain and determination to not become “collateral victims”.
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READ BELOW: Greg and Christine Gordon’s statement
ALMOST 43 years since their daughter and a friend were snatched from Adelaide Oval, the parents of Kirste Gordon have told of their pain and determination to not become “collateral victims”.
Greg and Christine Gordon have spoken publicly for the first time in more than a decade about their anguish over the unsolved disappearance of Kirste, 4, and Joanne Ratcliffe, 11, on August 25, 1973.
Kirste Gordon and Joanne Ratcliffe are the faces of the 2016 International Missing Children’s Day — and for their families the pain and uncertainty remains palpable.
In a statement to The Advertiser, Mr Gordon recalled being at a function in the Riverland when he received a frantic call from Kirste’s grandmother, telling him the shocking news.
“As I returned to the table in a dark cloud of gloom, it was obvious to the group that something was very wrong and we immediately set out on the journey back to Adelaide,” Mr Gordon said.
Since then, the Gordon and Ratcliffe families have endured a fruitless search for answers, but maintain hope that one day the key piece of the jigsaw will fall into place.
“To receive information which made it clear that some evil, opportunistic predator had targeted our young daughter was absolutely gut-wrenching to us,” Mr Gordon said.
Mr Gordon said he had never abandoned hope the perpetrator would one day be brought to justice.
Mr Gordon said he and his family determined soon after the abduction that they would not let it define their lives.
“At the core of our thinking was that the perpetrator had claimed Kirste as a victim but that he should be denied any further collateral victims,” he said.
“We would do this by maintaining strength in our conviction that we are survivors and that blame lies entirely with the perpetrator.”
Joanne Ratcliffe’s sister Suzie, who was born after the disappearance, said she was heartened that the case was still being highlighted internationally more than four decades later.
“Finding the person who took the girls is pretty much insignificant now; it’s finding the girls’ remains and bringing them home to bury them with the respect they deserve, that’s first and foremost for us,” Ms Ratcliffe said.
“You always hold hope, because if you give up on hope you give up on the chance that one day we will be able to bury the girls with dignity, love and respect.”
Ms Ratcliffe said she knew too well the misery which Mr and Mrs Gordon would have coped with for almost 43 years.
“My dad never gave up hope that one day we’d be able to bring the girls home, he never gave up the fight to find her but sadly he lost that fight eight years after Jo disappeared,” she said.
“I watched it take its toll on my mum as well, emotionally, but I’ve also watched an incredibly strong, inspirational woman deal with the loss of her daughter and ultimately the loss of her husband but she’s remained strong.”
Ms Ratcliffe established the organisation Leave A Light On, which supports families who have withstood similar tragedy.
“It means so much for us to have the AFP on board for the girls’ case but also incorporating Leave A Light On, because it helps us to bring more awareness to other families who are suffering the ordeal we have to go through,” she said.
The Gordons and members of the Ratcliffe family will help launch this year’s event at a function in Canberra today.
Anyone with information on the disappearance of Kirste and Joanne, or any missing persons case, should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
STATEMENT
WE ARE SURVIVORS
Since August 25, 1973, our family has experienced a roller-coaster ride of emotions with some lows of extreme intensity.
The day was unusually warm and sunny for winter (in this part of the world) and Kirste was staying with her grandparents while Christine and I attended a formal function in Renmark.
It was as if God was in His Heaven and everything was right in the world.
We had only just begun dinner when the maitre-de came to the
table and took me to a phone call
in reception. It was Kirste’s grandmother, sobbing, to advise us that Kirste was missing and that police had mounted a search.
As I returned to the table in a dark cloud of gloom, it was obvious to the group that something was very wrong and we immediately set out on the journey back to Adelaide.
For some three hours, with minds racing, we scanned available radio broadcasts for news as we had no access to mobile phones at that time.
On arrival at Adelaide Oval, we were briefed on the current state of the operation: that Kirste and Joanne Ratcliffe were missing, and that a search was in progress.
Burdened with frustration, we could do little but wait and contemplate the mystery of where the children may have gone.
The following day, given the press publication covering the news of the missing children, a person contacted police to relate what he had seen.
The witness said that he noticed a man trotting towards the southern gate from the bowling green area.
The man was looking at one of the two missing girls and then being in proximity, lifted up the younger and smaller girl (our four-year-old, Kirste) with his right arm and started to walk away with her towards the carpark.
This witness further said the older and bigger girl (11-year-old, Joanne Ratcliffe) went to grab the man and that he made some comment to her.
This witness went on to say he noticed a pair of glasses fall from the top pocket of this person’s coat, and he then picked them up and grabbed hold of Joanne by her left hand and dragged her back into the car park area.
To receive information which made it clear that some evil, opportunistic predator had targeted our young daughter was absolutely gut-wrenching to us. It took little imagination to realise the most likely outcomes of this abduction could include physical abuse and loss of life.
There are other less serious outcomes which are possible but much less likely, and in the absence of evidence, we could but hope that one of these might occur.
At a subsequent coronial inquiry in 1979, the Coroner recorded a summary statement:
“Neither girl has been seen or heard of since the afternoon of 25 August, 1973, despite extensive inquiries and investigation. This fact coupled with the evidence of the witnesses, indicates in my view that it is extremely probable that both girls were taken either by force or under duress from the Adelaide Oval by some man whose identity at present has not been established. The perpetrator of this vicious act of abduction has of course not been apprehended, but as already stated, investigations are continuing. I earnestly trust that he will be apprehended in due course and made to answer for the heinous crime.”
From the time of the abduction, we had to determine how we were to go on with our lives.
At the core of our thinking was that the perpetrator had claimed Kirste as a victim but that he should be denied any further collateral victims, and we would do this by maintaining strength in our conviction that we are survivors and that blame lies entirely with
the perpetrator.
We set about planning to provide and maintain a supportive and nurturing environment free from impact of the abduction, not by denial, but by drawing on our inner strength and maintaining awareness of subsequent issues to minimise the chance of surprise.
It was important to us to be independent and to feel in control of our lives for the sake of our family.
In this endeavour, we have had full support from officers of the South Australia Police and we can always be assured that if any matters were publicised and we had not had prior advice of them from the police, then the matters likely had neither substance nor consequence.
We are most grateful to the police for their support and for the effort they continue to apply to find a resolution.
We commend the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children for its initiative in establishing and maintaining the Global Missing Children’s Network, and we thank the Australian Federal Police and the National Missing Persons Co-ordination Centre for leading the campaign and launching International Missing Children’s Day 2016 within Australia.
Thank you.
Greg Gordon OAM and
Christine Gordon,
Parents of Kirste Gordon
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