Lyn Dawson: Hundreds turn out to remember missing mum and call for justice
SHANELLE Dawson, the daughter of missing mum Lyn Dawson, joined 450 people at a walk in her memory — 36 years after she disappeared.
Manly
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HUNDREDS of people turned out to walk in memory of Lyn Dawson including her daughter Shanelle who was aged just four when her mother went missing 36 years ago.
She travelled from her home in Hervey Bay to be at the event on the northern beaches, with her daughter Kiahla, the granddaughter Mrs Dawson never got to meet.
Mrs Dawson, a nurse and childminder, disappeared aged 33.
Homicide police who have reopened the case, did a forensic search of her former home in Bayview earlier this month, but nothing was found.
No-one has ever been charged in relation to her disappearance.
Around 50 members of Mrs Dawson’s family came from across Australia to attend the walk at Long Reef headland and were joined by around 400 others.
While the family were keen to make it a happy day in Mrs Dawson’s memory, there were also tears.
Her sister Pat Jenkins, 72, held hands with Shanelle as the family laid pink flowers — Mrs Dawson’s favourite colour — at the headland.
“It’s been very emotional,” Mrs Jenkins, of Seaforth, said.
“I was holding onto Shanelle’s hand and I could not stop the tears or hold it together.”
She also said it was so wonderful that so many people she had never met had come out in support of her sister and the family.
“It’s been amazing, unbelievable really,” Mrs Jenkins said.
Other people who were at the event were those who contributed to The Australian’s podcast on the cold case, including friends, neighbours and the babysitter of Mrs Dawson’s children, Bev McNully who organised the walk.
Hedley Thomas, who was the journalist behind the podcast which has been downloaded more than 14 million times, gave a speech at the start of the walk.
Radio and TV presenter Ben Fordham was also there with his son Freddy.
Mr Thomas said so many people had come to the event to honour “a woman, Lyn, who lived, loved and worked in this beautiful area”.
“Even though most of us never really knew this woman who should have celebrated her 70th birthday on Tuesday, we feel a connection with her life and the troubles she faced in her Bayview home near here,” he said.
“She was a loving daughter, a sister, a mother, an aunt, a friend, a colleague and if she were here she would be a doting grandmother.”
He said the event helped send a message authorities that Lyn’s life meant a great deal.
Mrs Dawson’s brother Greg Simms said his sister would have been very humbled by the turnout, and very “pleased to know at last she has a voice and her story will no longer be swept under the carpet”.
“She now has many, many new friends from all over the world to speak for her and we can now be confident she will never be forgotten and I want to say just one thing — justice for Lyn.”
People signed a book in Mrs Dawson’s memory before heading to a sausage sizzle at Fishermans Beach. Donations were collected for the women’s refuge.
One message from a cousin called Kylie said she never had the opportunity to meet her.
“May today make you smile and show you that you will never be forgotten,” she wrote.
Many who turned out because they had heard Mrs Dawson’s story via the podcast and want to see justice.
One wrote: “Today we are your voice and here for you. Never forgotten.
“Wherever you are, we love you.”
Those who could not be at the walk at Long Reef or the other one in Newcastle were asked to go to a beautiful spot and lay a pink flower in her memory and post to social media.