The strength and courage of a family who have been searching for answers for eight long years is true testimony to the love and passion they will always hold for their missing loved one.
Last Friday Muswellbrook’s Vaughan family gathered with close friends and relatives to remember their granddaughter, daughter, sister, aunt and friend Janine Vaughan.
At 3.47am on December 7, 2001 Janine Vaughan disappeared from the corner of George and Keppel Streets in Bathurst.
Janine has been missing for the past eight years and after numerous police investigations and court cases which concluded with a State Coronial Inquest in September last year, investigators have reached the decision that Janine had been murdered by a person or persons unknown, and her body disposed of in such a means it has not been found.
According to the state coroner Mary Jerram, “the trail has gone cold.”
Hundreds of family and friends gathered for the memorial service at Muswellbrook Cemetery last Friday to remember the woman, who was described as a social butterfly with many friends and a passion for life.
The service gave loved ones an opportunity to acknowledge the reality that Janine may have died and embrace the fact that she may still be alive.
To remember the vibrant young woman and try to gain some kind of closure in what has been a horrendous eight years.
The memorial was delivered by Reverend Canon Brian Gibbs with Janine’s family members contributing to the service.
A bunch of yellow balloons were released and a plaque unveiled, which will give family and friends somewhere to go to remember Janine.
Janine’s brother, Adam Vaughan, spoke on behalf of his brother Rodney, sister Kylie Curnuck and parents Jenny and Ian, and Mrs Curnuck sang ‘A Little Ray of Sunshine’.
Mr Vaughan highlighted Janine’s life, a life of success, love and fulfillment.
Janine was born at Scone Hospital and gained her education from Muswellbrook Public School, Aberdeen Public School and Scone High School.
Mr Vaughan said his sister was a great sportswoman and enjoyed ballet and tap dancing when she was a girl, loving the limelight right from the start.
He described Janine as a social butterfly who enjoyed spending time with her many friends.
Mr Vaughan said the day his sister went missing was the day his life changed forever.
“It has been a long eight years for us, of secrets, of lies and of a family torn apart,” Mr Vaughan said.
“We have all been married and Janine now has three nieces and a nephew, and she has not been able to meet them.
“We take a small time today to celebrate and remember our granddaughter, daughter, sister, aunt and close friend,” he said.
Mr Vaughan said the family walked away from Bathurst Court House in September with no more than they had on December 7, 2001. “We’ll never have full closure until we know where she is, but today we’ll create a place where her family and friends can come to visit her,” he said.
Ian, Jenny, Rodney, Kylie, Adam and their entire family extended a big thank you to all the public for their support over the past eight years and for being there on Friday for the family.
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