‘We miss and love you’
Mum’s message to son missing for 10 months
VANESSA Richards is having a good look around the Gold Coast this week, but this is no holiday.
The Sydney mother of three is on a crusade to find her son, Karl Melo-Richards, who disappeared 10 months ago without a trace.
Ms Richards’ search for her 26-year-old boy has included pamphlet drops around their home in Sydney’s southwest and led her to the Glitter Strip after a tipoff on social media.
Mr Melo-Richards, a carpenter and amateur surfer, was last seen on September 2 at the Maroubra, Sydney, home he shared with his mother. He has struggled with depression.
“He has a lot of connections here, he has very strong ties up here (through surfing),” Ms Richards said. “I’ve actually spoken to a couple of people that say that they know him.
“I just want to get the message out to him that his little brother and his sister Karl Melo-Richards has short brown hair and olive skin. He stands about 175-180cm tall. He is caucasian and has brown eyes.
are finding it very hard to comprehend.
“I understand you may not be able to come back to your old home but your family is your home and we can move around.
“We just want you to know that we miss and love you very much … just in case with his illness he’s imagined that there was some kind of rift between us.”
Mr Melo-Richards was reported missing after his teenage sister returned home from school to find an empty house with her brother’s car and wallet left behind.
Palm Beach Police Acting Senior Sergeant Narelle Blackley said Gold Coast police were assisting Maroubra detectives to help find Mr Melo-Richards, but had been unable to substantiate tips that he was on the Coast.