Kimberley NELSON

One of the vanished, nine months missing
Mark Russell - SMH
June 10, 2007

THIS is 16-year-old Kimberley Nelson ¡ª one of thousands of teenagers who go missing in Victoria each year.

Kimberley's case is considered unusual because she has been missing since September last year.

Teenagers who go missing are normally found within 48 hours, according to the Victoria Police.

A police spokeswoman said Kimberley and another teenager were the only two long-term cases on the unit's books involving young girls missing for more than 60 days.

Both girls had been under the care of the Department of Human Services when they went missing.

The Sunday Age has been allowed to publish Kimberley's name and photograph after a court order was granted in the hope someone might recognise her and come forward with information on her whereabouts.

Kimberley was not living with her family when she disappeared on September 21 last year. There have been a number of unconfirmed sightings of her since, but she has not returned to her former residence.

Kimberley is known to have frequented the Reservoir, Ivanhoe and Greensborough areas.

Her family and police have concerns for her welfare. She is described as about 165 centimetres tall, with dark hair, brown eyes, a medium build and fair complexion.

About 99.5 per cent of people reported missing are found, usually quickly (about 85 per cent within a week and 95 per cent within a month).

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on

1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppers.com.au

¡öOf the estimated 30,000 people reported missing in Australia every year ¡ª one person every 18 minutes ¡ª more than half are children aged under 18. The actual number of children and teenagers who go missing is believed to be much higher because many are not reported to the police. It is not known how many parents choose not to treat their children as "missing", or who rely on other avenues such as family networks to locate their missing children.