Detectives have reduced the active search efforts for missing teenager Pheobe Bishop, nearly three weeks after she disappeared.
Queensland Police announced on Wednesday that they will no longer conduct physical searches for Pheobe unless new information arises that warrants resuming them.
Investigations remain ongoing, with several leads still being explored by authorities.
Pheobe’s Disappearance and Initial Search Efforts
The 17-year-old went missing after she failed to board a scheduled flight from Bundaberg to Brisbane, and then onward to Western Australia to visit her boyfriend, on Thursday, May 15.
Since that day, neither Pheobe nor her luggage has been found.
Police report that her phone and bank accounts have not been accessed since her disappearance.
A large, multi-agency search was carried out in the dense bushland of Good Night Scrub National Park, about an hour from where Pheobe was last seen.
The search lasted five days and involved cadaver dogs, water police, drones, and State Emergency Service personnel combing through the area.
Items collected during the search were sent for forensic analysis, but police have not released any details about what was found.
Key Evidence and Developments
Detectives revealed that some key evidence might have been moved from the park before the search began.
Pheobe was last seen leaving a rundown home in Gin Gin, near Bundaberg, where she lived with a couple named Tanika Kristan Bromley and James Wood.
Queensland Police said the couple told investigators they drove Pheobe to the airport for her 8:30 a.m. flight in Bromley’s silver 2011 Hyundai ix35 hatchback.
However, no CCTV footage shows Pheobe at the airport.
The police seized the Hyundai ix35 and declared it a crime scene, along with the property at Gin Gin.
Both Bromley and Wood have been charged with unrelated weapons offenses, but no charges have been laid in connection to Pheobe’s disappearance.
Daily Mail Australia does not imply that Bromley or Wood were involved in her disappearance.
Investigation Status and Family Statements
Queensland Police confirmed they have yet to visit Pheobe’s boyfriend in Western Australia, a significant witness in the case.
Police stated they continue to speak with people who knew Pheobe.
Officers have previously confirmed speaking to the boyfriend, who is not considered a suspect.
Pheobe called her boyfriend as she was being driven to the airport, but the call abruptly ended with him unable to hear her.
Her boyfriend reportedly did not realize anything was wrong and went to the airport as planned to meet her.
Police are confident Pheobe never reached the airport.
Emotional Impact and Messages from Loved Ones
Pheobe’s childhood sweetheart has expressed feelings of guilt over her disappearance.
The couple had dated throughout high school before his family relocated to Western Australia.
They had recently rekindled their long-distance relationship.
Text messages from Pheobe before her disappearance showed she was looking forward to reuniting with her boyfriend.
She told a friend she was packing for her trip to Western Australia and eager to get away from her home situation.
On May 16, Pheobe’s boyfriend posted emotional messages on social media expressing pain and confusion over her disappearance.
He urged anyone with information to come forward.
Ongoing Police Appeal for Information
Police continue to investigate Pheobe’s disappearance and have asked the public for help, especially regarding the movements of the grey Hyundai ix35.
They urge anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of the vehicle, registration 414 EW3, seen in the Gin Gin area between May 15 and 18, to contact authorities.
Pheobe’s mother, Kylie Johnson, shared an emotional message on Facebook marking day 20 since Pheobe went missing.
Ms Johnson appealed to the public, saying people must come forward if they have any information on Pheobe’s whereabouts.
She expressed deep uncertainty about life after May 15 but emphasized the importance of reporting any relevant information to the police.
If you have any information about Pheobe Bishop or the grey Hyundai ix35, please contact Queensland Police immediately.