A Tasmanian cold case that has haunted a family for over a decade has been reopened.
20-year-old woman Helen Munnings disappeared 15 years ago on July 23, 2008, in Burnie after she was last seen meeting with Adam Taylor, the father of her two-year-old son.
At the time, Helen was pregnant with her second child and had informed her friends and family that Adam was the father.
In 2018 the ABC reported that the builder first slept with Helen Munnings when he was 30 and she was just 16. The age of consent in Tasmania is 17.
The relationship continued in secret after she turned 17, with her mother pushing police to charge Mr Taylor with having sex with a minor and Mr Taylor still living with his long-term partner.
In 2012, an inquest was conducted, which identified Adam as a person of interest and heard how he did not want to keep the baby but did not find direct evidence implicating him.
The investigation, however, could not definitively determine if Helen intentionally vanished or if she had tragically drowned.
Police say despite suspicions of foul play and a strong belief that Helen was murdered, her body has never been found.
Commander Stuart Wilkinson hopes that with the passing of time, someone with crucial information will come forward.
“The police investigation into the disappearance of Helen Munnings remains open and ongoing and police continue to believe there are people in the community with information in relation to the circumstances around Helen’s death and the location of her remains,” said Commander Wilkinson.
A reward of $500,000 remains on offer for any information leading to the conviction of those involved in Helen’s death.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Burnie CIB or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers Tasmania.
