Katherine Ackling-Bryen

About two months before she vanished, Ms. Ackling-Bryen had a miscarriage. She avoided taking her medication during and after the pregnancy. On the day she disappeared in early 2016 Ms. Ackling-Bryen was upset because one of her daughters had soiled her clothes the previous night. She had decided to keep the girl at home but had a last-minute change of mind and dropped the girl at school in her pajama.

CCTV footage shows Ms. Ackling-Bryen at St Marys Shopping Village about midday, but police have been unable to find any other trace of her.

“Given what I’d seen in her mental breakdown before and her ability to function normally, I don’t believe there’s been foul play,” Mr. Bryen said.

He searched the Blue Mountains walking tracks in vain trying to find her, saying there were too many spots where someone who wanted to end their life “could drop off and nobody would ever know”.

In an emotional statement, Ms. Ackling-Bryen’s mother, Sue Reeve, said she was “broken and shattered by her loss”.

“There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more painful than anything that bleeds,” she said.

Katherine Ackling-Bryen

A glowing smile, sparkling blue eyes, a loving heart, a beautiful nature... This is Katherine Ackling-Bryen and 5 years ago today she disappeared from her family...

A dearly loved daughter, wife, mother of two, Katherine is thought of every day by her family... The questions constantly plaguing their minds - Is Katherine ok, is she safe, is she well, is she happy, where is she? And most importantly, when is she coming home...

On Friday 19th February 2016, 37-year-old Katherine Ackling-Bryen walked her two daughters to Oxley Park Public School New South Wales to start their school day. A routine practiced by Katherine regularly.

Katherine returned to the school later that morning to drop off some items for her daughter before heading to St Marys Village shopping center, located in Charles Hackett Drive. Katherine may have caught a bus to the shopping center.

Security footage at the shopping center captured Katherine walking into Target to shop for children's clothing at approximately 11.22 am. At 12.17 pm security footage shows Katherine leaving the shopping center.

It is believed when Katherine left the shopping center she may have walked towards Queen Street, but there have been no confirmed sightings of this.

Details of Katherine's exact movements are unsure at this point, although police can confirm she did make it home as her purchases were inside still in the shopping bags. Katherine's mobile phone and her purse were also located.

A missing person report was filed with St Mary's Police Station by her husband that afternoon when Katherine failed to collect their daughters from the school.

Despite extensive investigations by police and appeals by her family, Katherine remains missing. There are serious concerns for Katherine's safety and welfare as she had been previously diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and it is completely out of character for Katherine to not be in contact with her family, or to leave her daughters. 

At the time of her disappearance, Katherine was described as standing 165cm tall (5ft 5in) with a thin build, brown hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion. Katherine was last seen wearing a grey top, black tracksuit pants, a light blue hat, and sunglasses. Katherine has a tattoo on her right shoulder of a yin/yang symbol. Katherine would now be aged 44 years old.

If you have seen Katherine, or know of her location, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000