Missing and Murdered: May 2000

Personal Details
Last seen: Saturday, 13 May 2000
Age: 19
Year of birth: 1984
Height: 162cm
Build: Slim
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Complexion: Fair
Gender: Female
Distinguishing Feature:

Circumstances: The Australian Federal Police report the circumstances of Melissa's disappearance to be "Melissa Brown was last seen in Adelaide on 13th May 2000 and was known to frequent truck stops and also hitch-hike. Melissa has not been seen or heard from since." Whilst technically true it is a profoundly inaccurate assessment of the circumstances of Melissa's disappearance.
Melissa along with her mother Rosemary Brown went missing on 13 May 2000.
On July 2, 2000 the body of Rosemary Brown was found in the Garden Island mangroves in Adelaide. It is believed Mrs Brown was strangled to death, but this has not been confirmed by police.
There remains no reason to assume that Melissa is dead.
In late 2000 Major Crime Investigation Unit, Acting Superintendent Bill Prior said: "We obviously have grave concerns about the whereabouts of Mrs Brown`s daughter, Melissa."

"....there is no evidence at this stage to suggest Melissa has been murdered," he said.

Rosemary Brown is the murdered mother of missing teen Melissa Brown. Rosemary and Melissa went for a walk in the early hours of Saturday, May 13, 2000, Seven weeks later, the decomposing body of Rosemary, 33, was found in the Garden Island mangroves, her daughter Melissa has never been found.
Detective Senior Constable Jeff Brown said the case had been "frustrating" with virtually no leads since 2003.
"It is bewildering, somebody has to know something about the case." Sen-const Brown said. "We have exhausted all lines of inquiry since the case was reviewed in 2003, but it stills remains open.
"Rosemary mixed with a lot of people so if we can re-jog someone's memory it may help us (solve) it."
The Brown family had been living at the Windsor Gardens caravan park just weeks before they vanished. Rosemary and Melissa, then 15, had moved into a caravan in a friend's backyard at Blair Athol a short time befor they had disappeared.
Rosemary's son, Nathan Davidson, then 11, was staying with friends at Windsor Gardens. Where Rosemary and Melissa were going when they left their caravan at 2:30am remains unclear.
Rosemary's yellow bag was found at Northfield, about noon on the day of they went missing.
Rosemary's body was found in the North Arm of Port River, close to a jetty off Grand Trunkway, on July 2, 2000.
Melissa is described as being 162cm tall, of thin build, with dark shoulder-length hair and brown eyes. Sen-const Brown urged anyone with information to contact Crimestoppers.
"Callers can remain anonymous but if anyone knows something about the case please contact police," he said..Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.

MELISSA BROWN (15)

Melissa went missing on 13-5-2000. Rosemary Brown (her mother) was strangled and found in a swamp at Garden Island on July 2, 2000.