Rachel Antonio: Police ‘didn’t properly investigate’ sightings of missing schoolgirl

MISSING Queensland schoolgirl Rachel Antonio was reportedly spotted hitchhiking and in cars, buses and shops across Queensland after her disappearance in 1998, but police ruled out the 13-page list of sightings.

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POTENTIAL sightings of schoolgirl Rachel Antonio hitchhiking and in cars, buses and shops across Queensland were ruled out by police.

A detective compiled a 13-page list of reported sightings after Rachel disappeared from Bowen, in north Queensland.

Rachel’s disappearance made headlines statewide, and girls of similar appearance were reported in Townsville, Mackay, Toowoomba, Brisbane and other areas.

The last confirmed sighting was near some tennis courts on the Queens Beach Esplanade, in Bowen, about 7pm on Anzac Day, 1998.

A Coroner this year found Rachel’s alleged boyfriend, lifeguard Robert Hytch, met her soon after and was responsible for her death.

Mr Hytch is appealing the Coroner’s findings and has ­denied any involvement in Rachel’s disappearance.

A friend of the Hytch family told a new podcast series, Searching for Rachel Antonio, that police did not properly ­investigate other possible sightings of Rachel.

Rachel Antonio pictured in January 1998 with dogs Toby and Jess.

“There was another completely different scenario that was never, ever gone down by the police,” the friend, who asked not to be named, told the podcast.

He said the scenario was that Rachel went to a party and died of “misadventure”. There is no evidence this occurred.

The police report shows takeaway shop owner Stephen Winterbottom thought Rachel was in the store with two other girls.

Police rejected this sighting, saying Rachel was seen at the town’s stinger net at the same time.

Another resident, Geoff Howie, claimed he saw Rachel with two other girls at a soccer field between 7pm and 8pm.

But Coroner David O’Connell found it was a mistaken sighting.

A resident from Queens Beach Esplanade said he heard a scream from his home about 8.30pm. A couple who lived near the cinema where Rachel was dropped off by her mum that evening told police they also heard screams about 10.45pm.

The document was part of the brief of evidence provided to The Courier-Mail by the ­coroner as part of the podcast series.

Episodes of Searching for Rachel Antonio will be released each Monday.

Follow the links to listen:

iPhone or iPad users search for “rachel antonio podcast” on iTunes — by clicking subscribe, each weekly episode will appear on your podcast app.

Android users can listen by following The Courier-Mail on Soundcloud at soundcloud.com/couriermail.