Quarry hunt follows teen’s death
Dunedin police say search part of murder inquiry after man charged
Police have been seen searching a Dunedin quarry as part of the investigation into the murder of Amber-Rose Rush. Officers were photographed prodding the ground in and around a pond with sticks and metal detectors at Blackhead Quarry yesterday.
It was understood police were searching for the teen's cellphone which was believed to have been dumped there after her death, Fairfax reported.
The 16-year-old was found dead on Saturday.
Police said they were “searching a pond as part of the ongoing investigation”. The quarry is 4km from AmberRose’s Clermiston Ave home.
Fire fighters pumped water out of the area while the search was carried out.
Police have asked anyone who may have been in the Blackhead Quarry or beach area between 11.30pm Friday 12.30am Saturday get in touch with them.
In particular, police would like to speak to the occupants of a black Toyota Camry that was in the car park near the pond around this time, who may have seen something.
A 30-year-old doctor has been charged with her murder. He appeared in the Dunedin District Court on Monday and was remanded in custody.
He was also granted interim name suppression.
Amber-Rose’s older sister Shantelle Rush has taken to Facebook to pay tribute to the 16-year-old — and revealed her mother’s had to move out of the house Amber-Rose died in.
“She was everything,” Shantelle Rush wrote. “She was on and on to the heart of our family.
“She was the most amazing daughter, aunty, sister anyone could ever dream of having.”
Amber-Rose’s mother, Lisa Ann, said the murder accused had “stolen her soul”.
“There is absolutely nothing anyone can do or say that can harm me or my family more, destroyed doesn’t even begin to describe it,” she wrote on Facebook.
“My baby was and is my life, I write this lying alone on the floor of my baby’s room where he stole everything from me.” Friends also paid tribute. “Words can’t describe the amount of sadness and anger I’m feeling,” one friend wrote.
“You were honestly such a kind-hearted soul with the personality of a gem, you always were a very beautiful girl.”
A Givealittle page has been set up for the Rush family and by yesterday morning $2464 has been donated by 51 people.
Shantelle Rush set up the page to help her family with funeral costs and other bills associated with Amber-Rose’s death.
Money raised would also be used to help her mother move.