Australia Australia - Joanne Ratcliffe, 11, & Kirste Gordon, 4, Adelaide, 25 Aug1973

the only problem with it being hart is hart was a rooters fan and the rooters fanes were in the opsite stand to were kirst and joanne were
 
On the 50-year anniversary of the abduction of 11-year-old Joanne Ratcliffe and four-year-old Kirstie Jane Gordon, South Australian Police have reaffirmed their commitment to finding answers.

Ratcliffe, 11, and Gordon, 4, went missing while attending a match at the Adelaide Oval in 1973, in a case that was referred to by the media as the Adelaide Oval abductions.
 
what i wonder is whoever it was di they go looking to find a child to kidnapp or did they go there to watch the match and just do it on the spiur of the moment a football match isnt the sort of place child predeters normally look or victems
 
what i wonder is whoever it was di they go looking to find a child to kidnapp or did they go there to watch the match and just do it on the spiur of the moment a football match isnt the sort of place child predeters normally look or victems

Good question. The perpetrator had an interest in football as well as children, it was an opportunistic crime, it's the one type of crime many people find harder to understand. Or, the perp was in the vicinity, walking round the streets and purposely entered the grounds to spy on kids or steal belongings left unattended. jmo
 
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On August 25, 1973 — 50 years ago today — 11-year-old Joanne and four-year-old Kirste were last seen at Adelaide Oval during a football game between state league sides North Adelaide and Norwood.

The suspected abduction and murder of the girls remains one of the country's most agonising and perplexing unsolved cold case mysteries.

Over the years, it has triggered investigations, an inquest, false trails and fresh leads.

"In the 50 years that have passed, police have conducted thousands of lines of enquiry into the disappearance of the girls," Major Crime Detective Inspector Mark McEachern said.
Black and white photos of Kirste Gordon.

 
Missing Person Joanne Ratcliffe

Missing since: Saturday, August 25, 1973
Last seen: Adelaide SA
Responsible jurisdiction: SA
Year of birth: 1962
Age now: 61
Gender: Female
Reward offered: 1000000


Missing Person Kirste Gordon

Missing since: Saturday, August 25, 1973
Last seen:
pAdelaide SA
Responsible jurisdiction: SA
Year of birth: 1968
Age now: 55
Gender: Female
Reward offered: 1000000

Circumstances​

Joanne Ratcliffe aged 11 and Kirste Gordon aged 4, went missing from Adelaide Oval, SA while attending an Australian Rules football match on 25 August 1973. Joanne and Kirste were sighted a number of occasions up to 90 minutes following their disappearance leaving the oval and in the surrounding area in the company of a man. Joanne and Kirste’s disappearance, and presumed abduction and murder, remains one of Australia’s leading unsolved child abduction cases
 


Interesting new (to me) info in these old newspaper reports.

1. Ladies toilets were near a bar.
2. Finding 2 empty cans of Fanta (Joanne’s favourite) and a half eaten pie ( child size bites on it) in an empty train carriage in a goods yard nearby.
3. Man dressed in women’s clothes near the (same?) women’s toilets.
 
The Missing Australia Podcast with Meni Caroutas.


There is a link to the last interview with the parents which unfortunately is under a paywall.


The Podcast includes a talk with Suzie Ratcliffe who started the Leave A Light On Inc for a voice for long term missing persons in Australia.
 
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i think the podcasts a bit to focused on hart though he hes a decent suspect i cant rule him out
but other avenues need to be explored as well
 

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