Mother of baby washed up on Coast beach went from barmaid to homeless

The mother of a baby found washed up on a Gold Coast beach worked at a Gold Coast bar until she started meeting with a homeless man, telling former colleagues that she had a ‘vision from God’ that she would have his babies.

THE mother of a baby found washed up on a Gold Coast beach this week was a typical young woman working at a Glitter Strip bar before she found herself living rough on the streets.

Now 23, the then 19-year-old worked in a Surfers Paradise bar for a few months when she first moved to the Gold Coast from Victoria.

Local Business owner Trevor Arbon (centre) and residents are seen at a vigil for a murdered nine-month-old girl in Tweed Heads, Thursday, November 22, 2018. (AAP Image/Jason O'Brien)

Colleagues said she was a normal young woman, who liked shopping and having a drink after work.

But they soon noticed a change in her personality, around the same time she started spending time with a homeless, middle-aged man.

She told colleagues she had a “vision from God” that she would have his babies, and shortly after she stopped coming to work.

The beach where the body of an infant was found at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, Monday, November 19, 2018. Police are investigating the death of an infant at Surfers Paradise. (AAP Image/Regi Varghese)

Months later the young woman’s distraught parents came to the Gold Coast, looking for their daughter.

They went to the bar, desperate for information.

A staff member said he met with them and it was “very sad”.

“We were the last of her normal life,” he said.

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Police divers looking for evidence at Jack Evans boat harbour in Tweed. (AAP image, John Gass)

“They did find her and got her into Queensland Health for assistance, but then she was released and disappeared with him. It was a very sad situation, especially for her parents.”

Another colleague said friends had tried to stop her living on the streets, but she would not accept help.

“There were a few girls who kept in touch with her for a while … and would try and offer her a place to stay, but she never accepted,” she said.

“Soon everyone lost contact with her. It was a big shock when we heard what happened to her baby this week.”

The father of the nine-month-old has been charged with murder, the mother has not been charged and is in the care of a medical facility.