Desperate search for missing teen girl takes bleak turn after 3 weeks | World | News

A desperate search for a missing 17-year-old girl in Australia has entered its third week, with police now seizing a car and searching remote woodlands after an item of interest was found. Pheobe Bishop was last seen leaving her home in Gin Gin, Queensland, on May 15. She was believed to be heading to Perth to visit her boyfriend and was reportedly dropped off at Bundaberg Airport for an early flight via Brisbane.

But she never boarded the plane and hasn’t been seen or heard from since. Detectives say Pheobe was staying with a couple, Tanika Bromley and James Wood, before she vanished. They are believed to have driven her to the airport around 40 minutes away. The couple were questioned by police but released without charge. There is no suggestion they are involved in her disappearance, The Mirror reports.

It’s not clear why Pheobe was staying with the couple, but reports suggest she fell out with her mum.

Pheobe also reportedly spoke to her boyfriend on the phone at 8.30am, around the time her flight was due to leave. 

Her phone was switched off shortly after, and none of her social media accounts or bank cards have been used since.

Worryingly, new CCTV footage later showed a car similar to the one she had been travelling in driving through Gin Gin at 10.30am – two hours after she was supposed to be dropped off at the airport.

Police have confirmed they seized a grey Hyundai ix35 as part of their investigation. According to The Courier Mail, the car is owned by Bromley.

Officers have since been searching Good Night Scrub National Park, around an hour from where Pheobe was last seen. 

Cadaver dogs and dive teams were involved in the operation, and police confirmed they had found an “item of interest” at the site.

Detective Acting Inspector Ryan Thompson said police were trying to piece together a full timeline of events and were appealing for dashcam or CCTV footage that could assist with the case.

Despite reports of a family rift, Pheobe’s mother, Kylie Johnson, has released a heartfelt public appeal.

“She would never go this long without contacting someone or anyone,” she said.

“You can’t tame Phee’s spirit, empathy or fight for life. She is sassy, feisty and loves harder than anyone I’ve ever met.”

She added: “We are appealing to anyone who may have heard from Pheobe, or anyone who has information about where she may be, to please contact police.”