Australia Australia - Passy Reyes, 18, Mona Vale, NSW, 18 Jul 2001

[Ellie1]

Missing from Mona Vale, NSW, Australia since 18 July 2001. Passy Reyes was an 18 year old girl in her final year of high school. She is believed to have left home, wearing her formal (prom) dress and jewelry, around 4.45 am on the morning of her disappearance and is believed to have left voluntarily. She was severely stressed about the outcome of her final year of school and exams. She was an overachiever, creating 23 works of art for a class only requiring one, and socially withdrawn during her studies.

She was last seen by a bus driver on Pittwater Rd at 4.45 am that morning. Her formal dress and jewelry were found neatly folded on the steps of Mona Vale beach and clothes were reported missing from a neighbor's clothesline. The search for her covered both ground and ocean and no trace of her has ever been found.

Her family believe she is alive and presumably living under an assumed identity.

There isn't a lot of media coverage but perhaps the sharp minds and eyes on WS can offer thoughts. There have been newspaper articles but I'm having trouble finding links to them as they're so old.

Passy REYES

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Article from 2014

We’re for Sydney | Daily Telegraph

"MYSTERY surrounds the origin of a human jawbone found on Sunday at The Basin at Mona Vale Beach.

All police are able to say at the moment is the jawbone belonged to an adolescent but the gender, ethnicity and vintage of the jawbone are yet to be determined"

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Passy REYES

Interview with her Mother in 2003

 

[Ellie1]

Article from 2014

We’re for Sydney | Daily Telegraph

"MYSTERY surrounds the origin of a human jawbone found on Sunday at The Basin at Mona Vale Beach.

All police are able to say at the moment is the jawbone belonged to an adolescent but the gender, ethnicity and vintage of the jawbone are yet to be determined"

This turned out to be a toddler's jaw bone from approximately 1000 years ago (!) (link: We’re for Sydney | Daily Telegraph)

 

[Bohemian]

This turned out to be a toddler's jaw bone from approximately 1000 years ago (!) (link: We’re for Sydney | Daily Telegraph)

Wow!

On another note, prayers of strength and comfort for Passy’s loved ones in their search.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Wow was what I was goint to say too!!

My thoughts with the family too.

 

[Andieinsyd]

Adding my thoughts for Passy's family also, so terribly difficult for them.

 

[zencompass]

Passy REYES

Interview with her Mother in 2003

Dear TootsieFootsie,

Thank you so much for sharing this insightful article about the tremendous stress that students can feel burdened under during school.

This is deeply saddening.

My heart goes out to Passy's loved ones.

May they continue to hold one another close. Passy's light will shine forever in their hearts.

 

[mussopossum]

I didnt realize this was on here, Happened in my town where I was living for ten years. Still an absolute mystery and no answers for the family.

 

[Mel 1303]

The NSW police have created a podcast about Passy.

‎NSW Police State Crime Command – Investigations: Case: Passy Reyes on Apple Podcasts

I didnt realise she had been kidnapped as a child. Very complex story. I cant imagine her mother and brothers pain.

 

[Mel 1303]

I have heard Passy's story a number of times over the years, and I always thought that the stress of the HSC had pushed her to suicide. However, after listening to the podcast, I wonder. She was born in Mexico before moving to Australia. When she was abducted by her father, it was with fake passports- one alternate identity. When returned to Australia, her mother changed their identites- so we are up to three different identities. She left her passport behind- but potentially could have had a range of different identity documents, including a Mexican passport under her original name. Could she have been in touch with someone from Mexico? Could explain her trips away from home, supposedly for a swim. For many people changing your identity to start over might be a bit far fetched, but she had been through it before. Passy's brother appears to have changed his name as well. In many sources he is Chris, in newer he is Tomas.

 

[Ellie1]

I haven't signed into WS for ages but I check for updates on Passy now and then. Glad to see she hasn't been forgotten. I listened to the podcast too and learned a lot that I don't think had ever been made public.

I have heard Passy's story a number of times over the years, and I always thought that the stress of the HSC had pushed her to suicide. However, after listening to the podcast, I wonder. She was born in Mexico before moving to Australia. When she was abducted by her father, it was with fake passports- one alternate identity. When returned to Australia, her mother changed their identites- so we are up to three different identities. She left her passport behind- but potentially could have had a range of different identity documents, including a Mexican passport under her original name. Could she have been in touch with someone from Mexico? Could explain her trips away from home, supposedly for a swim. For many people changing your identity to start over might be a bit far fetched, but she had been through it before. Passy's brother appears to have changed his name as well. In many sources he is Chris, in newer he is Tomas.

This is fascinating and a great point. I know a lot of people believe she died by suicide and it certainly appears possible but the clothes missing from a nearby clothesline lend credence to her running away in addition to this information.

I also find the folded clothes on the beach steps strange. I know it points to walking into the water but Mona Vale Beach (any beach but definitely this one) looks scary at night. The idea of swimming out into the ocean in the dark - without clothes, no less - is absolutely terrifying. It's also one of many beaches between cliffs (situated on the Northern Beaches which is 30km long coastline with 20 beaches, many tucked between cliffs) so it seems unlikely for someone not to have been washed back to one of them eventually even if they had swum out pretty far. The sun didn't rise until 6:57am that day. If she had waited until it was lighter, there would almost certainly have been at least a few devoted winter surfers - there usually were - along the "beach" side where the waves are (the longer side) and the "bay" side (curved side by the pool) leads basically sideways towards the cliffs. I think you'd have to swim out incredibly far to not be found, and even then I'd be shocked if no trace was ever found as is the case here.

I have always hoped and believed she's alive.