Disappearance Of Rhianna Barreau

12-year-old Rhianna Barreau vanished from her home in Wakefield Avenue, Morphett Vale, South Australia on October 7, 1992.

Rhianna shared the house with her mother Paula and brother Shannon. Although Rhianna's parents were no longer together, she stayed close to both of them. 

Rhianna's dad Leon was living on the gold coast at the time with his wife Sandra. It was school vacations and while Rhianna usually spent her break with her father on the gold coast, this time she had decided to stay home with her mother. Her brother Shannon was away on school camp. 

Rhianna was scheming to catch the bus to meet her mother that day at the Colonnades shopping centre, which was nearly 6 kilometres from her home to buy a Christmas card for her American pen pal. 

That morning at nearly 8.30 am, her mother Paula was about to leave the family home and attended her job with the education department. Paula had listened on the radio that there was going to be a bus strike that day and went into Rhianna's room to discuss the alteration of plans. She entered her bedroom where Rhianna was listening to love shack by the b52's, which is reportedly one of Rhianna's favourite songs. Paula implied to Rhianna that because of the bus strike perhaps she could walk to the Reynella shopping centre rather. This shopping centre is now known as South gate plaza. 

Reynella shopping centre at the time was just approximately 1.5 kilometres and around a 20 minute walk away from her home. Paula then kissed her daughter goodbye, and unfortunately, this was the last time she ever saw her. 

It is supposed that Rhianna stayed at her home until nearly 10.30 am when she was glimpsed leaving walking in the ways of the shops. Sources claim that Rhianna purchased the card for her pen pal from the newsagents at 11.19 am.

Rhianna was then sighted again between 12.05 pm and 12.30 pm strolling through the grounds of Morphett Vale High School, holding a small bag thought that contained the card. Some sources contend this was the last sighting of Rhianna, however, I also read various articles that stated there was another sighting of her at 4.00 pm standing alone at the junction of David Terrace and Acre Avenue which is nearly a 6-minute walk from her house on Wakefield avenue. 

At nearly 4.10 pm Paula Barreau returned to her family home to find the door locked. When she reached the house she was met with a record lying on the floor, and the tv still on. On the dining room table was a card that Rhianna had purchased for her pen pal, still there in its plastic wrapper. While Rhianna's personal belongings were still in the house, there was no clue of her daughter. 

Paula searched inside and outside and knocked on the door of her neighbour's houses but there was no indication of Rhianna. Although Paula had hope that perhaps she accidentally overstayed at a friend's house, she realized deep down this was uncertain. And by 6 pm the police were called. 

Since this day there have been some potential leads, that have been published to the public but unfortunately haven't steer to an arrest. Many people mention a white 2 door Holden Torana SLR 5000 with Victorian licence plates that had been glimpsed circling the region days before Rhianna vanished. 

One neighbour of Rhianna's has stated that her husband saw a white Torana, parked in the street on and off in the days before the absconding, but he hasn't glimpsed it since. 

Various women have reported to being followed by the same 2 door Torana in that region. Police have begged for the driver of this Torana to come forward for many many years, but at this point nobody ever has. 

Another neighbour of Rhianna's also reported listening to a young girl crying on the afternoon of the disappearance but was unfamiliar if this was associated with the case. Searches for Rhianna at the time were extensive and thorough, and unfortunately, nothing has been discovered to lead to an arrest. Police acknowledge due to Rhianna's age and lack of contact from her for almost 30 years they can infer Rhianna is no longer alive. They reckon she was likely killed not long after she was kidnapped. 

There was a report in 2012 that police where looking into someone who wasn't related to Rhianna and is being reinvestigated. In 2015 South Australian police inaugurated operation persists to help unravel South Australian unsolved killings, including Rhianna's. 

Police are requesting protection and a 1 million dollar reward for information and lead to the arrest of the disappearance or killing of Rhianna.