Dying Rose: Who is Charlene Warrior and how did she die?

An “appalling” search for mum Charlene Warrior has haunted her family for two years. Who was Charlene – and how was she left missing in plain sight?

For nine days after they say they reported her missing to police, the family of Charlene Warrior waited in desperation for news of the 21-year-old mother.

But their wait was in vain – because police were not looking.

Charlene was mysteriously found in a tree in plain sight in the small Yorke Peninsula town of Bute on October 3, 2019, just 100m from where she was last seen and in full view of the town’s search site.

She is one of six Aboriginal women whose cases are being investigated by The Advertiser in Dying Rose, a podcast in which their families ask whether police properly responded to their deaths.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story contains images and voices of people who have died.

DYING ROSE PODCAST

Listen to Charlene’s story in episode 1 here, or find Dying Rose on the Apple Podcasts app

Who is Charlene Warrior?

Charlene Warrior, 21, was a young South Australian mum.

Her and her family were originally from the town of Bute, a small town with a population of about 380 that sits on Narungga country on the Yorke Peninsula – about two hours north of the Adelaide CBD.

Charlene shared a daughter, A’methyst, with her ex-partner who still lived in Bute.

She was just 21 years old when she died.

Charlene and her daughter, A'methyst. Picture: Supplied by the Warrior family

How did she die?

Her sister Theresa said Charlene and her ex-partner had an argument about custody of A’methyst in the days before she died.

On September 17, 2021, she asked her sister Theresa if she would come to the small town because she “needed to run away with daughter”. The following day, she called her in tears from a park bench – and later messages her saying, “literally the saddest shit ever”.

She was last heard from on September 20, 2019.

After a co-ordinated SA Police, SES and CFS search was launched on October 1, her body was found by a local walker in a tree on October 3 – just 100m from where she was last seen and within sight of the search staging site.

READ MORE: Shock claim after Charlene’s body found in full view of town

Exactly what happened between her last messages to Theresa and her body being discovered remains unclear.

It’s not suggested Charlene’s ex-partner had any involvement in Charlene’s disappearance and death.

What did police say?

The morning after her body was discovered, SA Police released a statement deeming her death to be non-suspicious.

They said that a missing persons report was not filed until September 29, 2019, by Theresa.

Police declined a request for interview but in a statement said they were confident Charlene’s death was not suspicious.

“SAPOL have listened to Ms Warrior’s family and appreciate and understand their concerns about the circumstances surrounding Ms Warrior’s tragic death,” a spokeswoman said.

“Senior SAPOL representatives have met previously with Ms Warrior’s family on a number of occasions and provided updates on the status of the very thorough coronial investigation.”

The spokeswoman said a comprehensive report into the cause and circumstances of Charlene’s death had been prepared for the coroner.

Charlene Warrior, left, and her sister, Theresa. Picture: Supplied by the Warrior family

Charlene travelled to Bute to pick up A’methyst before her death. Picture: Supplied by the Warrior family

What does her family say?

Charlene’s sister Theresa adamantly disputes that the missing persons report was only filed on September 29, saying that she first reported her missing on September 20.

READ MORE: ‘How I knew something was wrong’: Charlene’s final call

Her family believes Charlene was “let down” by police and that search efforts were not comprehensive enough.

“Even with the police, I just reckon that they failed that case miserably. I would tell them to this day too. They know how I feel about it,” Theresa said.

“It just went unheard to them. It wasn’t important enough. I felt like she wasn’t important enough for the police for them to find her, for her to be there for two whole weeks.”

Charlene’s parents Alma Warrior and husband Kenneth Newchurch with her other family members. Picture: Mark Brake

What’s been discovered since?

Almost two years after her death, the report prepared by SA Police for the State Coroner into Charlene’s death has been seen by her family for the first time.

The 51-page report included revelations of a final “note” in her mobile, phone records from the morning she died and details of the search operation.

READ MORE: Bombshell police report unveils how Charlene went unseen

It revealed that detectives said a sick neighbour and “aggressive dogs” led to her body not being discovered for two weeks, despite it being in plain sight.

It also outlined the reasons police ruled her death to be non-suspicious.

Documents shown to The Advertiser by Charlene’s family indicate that representatives from the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement pursued a coronial inquest on the family’s behalf – but this was denied by the Coroner.

In a letter explaining that the Coroner had chosen not to open an inquest, a legal representative from the organisation described the “appalling treatment of (Charlene)” as “an oppressed Aboriginal woman treated disgracefully”.

DYING ROSE PODCAST

Listen to all the episodes here, or find them on the Apple Podcasts app