Pheobe Bishop’s family warns community of unauthorised fundraisers

Friends and supporters have shared their outrage as unauthorised fundraisers using Pheobe Bishop’s name and image appear without knowledge of the family.

Family and friends of murdered Bundaberg teenager Pheobe Bishop say they are shocked and disgusted at multiple unapproved fundraisers allegedly using Pheobe’s name and image. Photo: Contributed

Family and friends of murdered Bundaberg teenager Pheobe Bishop say they are shocked and disgusted at multiple unapproved fundraisers allegedly using Pheobe’s name and image.

Pheobe’s grieving mum Kylie Johnson this week alerted the community to at least one fundraiser launched via GoFundMe that did not have the support of the family.

The GoFundMe was reportedly started by a woman from the Bundaberg region and said all the money raised would be donated directly to Ms Johnson to be used as she wished.

Kylie Johnson (pictured with her daughter Pheobe Bishop) took to social media to alert the community to at least one fundraiser that did not have the support of the family. Picture: Facebook

Another GoFundMe reported by Ms Johnson’s supporters claimed to be raising money to cover “facilitating public memorial efforts” and “community-driven support initiatives”.

It stated the money raised would be used to cover “professional time and administrative expenses related to the responsible management of this campaign”.

Around $70 was raised via the two accounts, which have both since been removed from the GoFundMe platform.

On Wednesday, Ms Johnson shared a link to the fundraiser endorsed by the family, which will be donating all money raised to volunteer community groups and the YSchool in Bundaberg.

She told her followers the family had initially said no when friend Tracy Berends reached out to them about starting a fundraiser.

But after seeing the “tremendous” amount of work and resources the SES, which is primarily volunteer run, and police put into investigating Pheobe’s disappearance, and thinking back on the positive impact the YSchool had on Pheobe, they changed their minds.

“ … these community groups rely on funding and volunteers,” she posted on Facebook.

Pheobe's older sister, Kaylea Bishop, and mother Kylie at a vigil for Pheobe on Monday night, June 9, in Bundaberg. Picture: NewsWire / Paul Beutel

“What people don’t know is that regional and rural areas have much larger search areas and areas that require specialised supports and actually receive less funding and volunteers because of this,” she said.

“That’s why as a family (we) decided that they needed to be acknowledged for the roles they played in Phee Phee’s life and getting her home to us.

“Please donate to these causes.

“They’re imperative to our community and especially in our regional and rural communities.”

The Bundaberg woman who reportedly launched an unapproved fundraiser posted to Ms Johnson’s Facebook page that she had not been trying to scam anyone and was just trying to help.

“It was not done in a malicious manner,” she said.

“It came from a place of wanting to help.”

She said she took down her GoFundMe when she found out about the official fundraiser, and apologised to Ms Johnson.

A screenshot showing the two GoFundMe campaigns that were not approved by Pheobe Bishop’s family, along with the approved fundraiser, that were started after the Bundaberg teen’s remains appeared to have been found. Photo: Chloe Stevens / Facebook

Ms Johnson and her family’s supporters were outraged by the news, with many saying they were dismayed by the behaviour.

“Kylie has asked for no money for her family. She would like for the ones who searched for Pheobe to receive the money,” Amie wrote.

GoFundMe did not confirm how many “other” fundraisers were started using Pheobe’s name, but said no funds raised on the platform were released until the they were sure they would reach “the right place”.

A GoFundMe spokesperson said the platform refunded donations when a fundraiser “does not comply with their vetting process”.

“It is not uncommon for compassionate Australians to launch fundraisers on behalf of others, often as an act of kindness, during times of crisis or distress,” they said.

“Our Trust & Safety team is in contact with Pheobe’s immediate family via the organiser of the fundraiser, Tracey Berends.

“They will continue to liaise directly to facilitate the safe release of funds to Pheobe’s family.”

According to the GoFundMe website, it guarantees donors a full refund in the case “something isn’t right” and any suspicious activity reported is immediately investigated.

Three weeks after Pheobe Bishop was reported missing, her two housemates James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, (pictured) were charged with her murder.

Three weeks after Pheobe was reported missing, her two housemates James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, who were allegedly the last people to see her alive, were charged with her murder and with interfering with her corpse.

They remain before the courts, and have not entered any pleas.

Soon after they were arrested, human remains were located in Good Night Scrub National Park by authorities, with DNA testing being carried out before they can be officially confirmed as Pheobe’s.

At the time of publishing, close to $7000 had been raised through the fundraiser endorsed by Pheobe’s family, with more than 170 people donating.