Police locate clothing during bushland search for missing mother in Wollongong - SF Anthea
Monday, 09 December 2024 10:40:31 AM
PLEASE NOTE: Images are available via Hightail https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/SUyWQuE6r4
Police have found items of clothing during their search of bushland in the state’s Illawarra, as they continue investigations into the suspicious disappearance of a Wollongong mother three decades ago.
Strike Force Anthea was established in 2022 to re-examine the circumstances surrounding Pauline Sowry’s disappearance.
Pauline, also known by her married name of Pauline Lawrence, was 49-years old when she was last seen by her family in the northern suburbs of Wollongong in December 1993.
Despite extensive investigations since then, Pauline’s whereabouts remain unknown.
In 2008, a Coronial inquest found that Pauline had died, most likely after an unconfirmed sighting in 1994.
In March 2024, the NSW Government and NSW Police announced a $500,000 reward for information.
In May 2024, police issued an appeal for information about a vehicle Pauline may have been travelling in, south of Wollongong, around the time of her disappearance. It was described as a white 1968-model Holden HK Kingswood sedan, which was said to be in ‘pristine’ condition.
Officers attached to Wollongong and Lake Illawarra Police Districts, with assistance from Southern Region Operation Support Group and Southern Region Enforcement Squad, searched the Illawarra escarpment at Figtree, south of Wollongong, in March and May 2023 and October 2024, as part of their investigations into Pauline’s suspicious disappearance.
As a result of the three searches, a number of items of clothing were located and seized.
The items of clothing are described as a cream button down long sleeve blouse with a coloured stitching design, and black pants.
Southern Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar APM said this could be a crucial piece in the investigation to determine Pauline’s final movements.
“We are releasing these images to try to jog someone’s memory. The clothing includes some hand stitching in coloured cotton, and we know Pauline was known for altering both her and her children’s clothing, ” Assistant Commissioner Cassar said.
“We are not ruling out further searches, as we continue to investigate the circumstances of Pauline’s disappearance. Pauline’s family deserve to know what happened to her and to get some closure following her disappearance.”
Pauline’s son Jason Lawrence hopes this could lead to a breakthrough in the investigation.
“We don’t want to spend another Christmas not knowing what happened to mum. We deserve to know what happened to her and to give her a proper send-off and lay her to rest,” Jason said.
“We know someone out there knows something – as you prepare to spend Christmas with your own family, we are pleading for you to come forward and give us some closure, by knowing what happened to my beloved mum,” Jason said.
Anyone who has information about the suspicious disappearance of Pauline Sowry is urged to contact Wollongong Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. You can do so anonymously.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.