Fears held for missing Bendigo mum of four Samantha Kelly
LATEST: LOVED ones living with a missing mother of four have detailed an early-morning outburst before she disappeared amid dire fears for her safety.
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LOVED ones living with a missing mother of four have detailed an early-morning outburst before she disappeared amid dire fears for her safety.
Police suspect Bendigo woman Samantha Kelly, missing for three weeks including her youngest child’s first birthday, met foul play.
A car was heard taking off near the 39-year-old’s Kangaroo Flat home moments after her alleged walkout.
Christine Lyons, who lives at the property where Ms Kelly has since mid last year resided in a rear bungalow, said the mum left seemingly empty-handed on January 23 at about 3.30am.
She allegedly complained about her dealings with one of her children’s two fathers, who are brothers.
“I was asleep on the couch,’’ Ms Lyons said.
“She come woke me up and told me she was going.
“She said to me: ‘I’m done. I’ve had it with everything, I’m done’.
“And that that was all she said.
“I went out the front door — I said to her: ‘don’t leave’.”
The mum, who doesn’t have a licence or car, turned left at the end of the driveway and walked off.
Belongings including her clothes, pillow, Doona and makeup were later revealed gone.
“I just want her to get found and come home,’’ Ms Lyons said.
“We need her home for the kids — the kids need their mum.
“She’s been away a couple of times before but this is out of character — normally she is on the phone or she’s on the computer constantly and she’s not been on either.
“And she would have rung the bubby up for her first birthday.
“That’s a real sign something’s not quite right.”
Ronald Lyons, who also lives at the home, said he heard a car “take off” not long after Ms Kelly walked out.
Peter Arthur, Ms Lyons’ partner, said Ms Kelly had been particularly distant in recent weeks with the children moved into the main home.
She had once left her three elder children in their care for five weeks having said she would be gone for a few days to pack up her old house in Ballarat, he said.
“I just want her safe and back here with her four kids,’’ he said.
“Kids need their mum.”
CCTV depicts the last known sighting of Ms Kelly on January 20 at about 3.20pm using a Bendigo Bank ATM on High St, Kangaroo Flat.
Her bank accounts and phone haven’t been touched since and she hasn’t used Facebook which she does prolifically since January 21.
“There are suspicious circumstances around her disappearance,” Homicide Squad Detective Sen-Sgt Shane O’Connell said.
“We are gravely concerned for her safety and believe she may have met foul play.
“It’s out of character for Sam to go missing under these circumstances.”
Ms Kelly’s brother Michael, who reported her missing last Thursday, said there was no way his sister would willingly miss her youngest child’s birthday milestone.
He and his wife, who live on the NSW south coast, are caring for the children, three girls and a boy.
The eldest are aged six, five and four.
Ms Kelly had keenly wanted to holiday with the couple in mid January but the getaway didn’t eventuate.
“It was her last born’s first birthday — she idolised that baby,’’ Mr Kelly said.
“I am hoping we can find my sister safe.
“But our gut feeling is that she is not here.
“I am not expecting to find her alive.”
There have been claims Ms Kelly was changing the first names of two of her children and that earlier reports about her disappearance were made but unheeded.
Information to Crime Stoppers, 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au.