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Killing the “closure” myth

19 Sep 05:55am

Filed under: Closure, Crime, Daniel Morcombe, Murder

I grew up on the edge of a World Heritage region. It’s a twisted irony that these rainforests proved an ideal place for criminals to hide their activities. Where better to dump a dead body than in a remote wilderness?

The charging of a 41-year-old did little to help the distraught Morcombe parents find so-called closure. Pic: Jack Tran.

This horrible truth was discovered by two little girls, who 40 years ago found the decomposed remains of a child in the bush. Vicki Barton was an eight-year-old local, snatched from the steps of a Blue Mountains shop in 1970.

Like murdered Queensland schoolboy Daniel Morcombe, there was a massive hunt to find the kidnapped girl. Grim-faced police spoke to us at school, well before the phrase ‘stranger-danger’ existed. Vicki’s body remained hidden for 18 months until the two girls, about Vicki’s age, made their gruesome discovery.

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Helen Parker says:

10:39am | 23/09/11

Thanks Bec, yes it had a massive impact on all of us, can’t imagine what it was like for you. Thanks for being so open about it i know it wasn’t easy. Best wishes Read more »
Rebbeca Dostal says:

10:02pm | 22/09/11

Fabulous story Helen, its the truth, as one of those little girls that found Vicki Barton there has never been ‘closure’ some 40 years later. It affected every action in our childhood and how we saw the world, how safe were we, suddenly every stranger was a threat. There could… Read more »

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