Stephen MITCHELL

 

 

....Stephen I hope that you are safe and well wherever you are.  We think of you every day. Your grandmother has passed on since your disappearance, which I thought you might like to know.  PLEASE do consider making that one phone call  that could end this heart ache to us all.  There is lots of love and support waiting for you at home. Please come home.

 - your sister Sandra

 

* Please join the Facebook group set up to look for Stephen!
 

 

Details
Name: MITCHELL Stephen Sex: Male
Date of Birth: 01 Oct 1971 Age Now: 35

At Time of Disappearance
Age: 35 Height (cm):177 Build: Medium
Hair Colour: Brown Eye Colour: Blue Complexion: Fair
Nationality: Racial Appearance: Caucasian

Circumstances
Stephen was last seen in the Mortdale area on 20 March 2007


Stephen often walks from Mortdale to Beverly Hills and through Olds Park on Forest Road in Penshurst. He walked to the shops on Morts Road, Mortdale. He sometimes went on the train to the Jannali beachfront area, was recognised at the takeaway shops there and he liked the surf shops. On March 20th Stephen left his sister's house and was not himself, he has been suffering from depression and has been diagnosed with an illness for which he requires medication. Stephen did not return home that day and has not been sighted since. Stephen is a quiet man who is very withdrawn and would not usually come to people's attention. Please keep an eye out for Stephen if you live in any of the areas mentioned, it's possible he's living on the streets or if he liked the ocean he may be in one of those areas mentioned, or near Cronulla or Kurnell. If you have any information about Stephen's whereabouts please contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000 or this website.

 

Stephen's sister Sandra has told me about some possible sightings of Stephen since his disappearance and we believe it's valuable to include those here, in case he revisits any of these places.

The possible sightings are as follows;

On our 1st search it was Jannali shops.  The fish shop owners aren't too sure if it was just prior to or after his disappearance.

A couple of months after Stephen's disappearance the 2nd sighting was at the Eastern Suburbs Cemetery, Mascot.  He was seen purchasing a drink with loose change at the shop and then boarded a bus for the city.  He was described down to the fact of him having chipped front teeth. (Previous to this sighting we spoke with the staff at the shop and placed posters around.)

Another sighting was at Sutherland hospital, apparently he walked into Sutherland Emergency and turned around and walked out.  This information was told to me by a Cronulla police officer. He said at the time he didn't know he was missing. and had overheard his name at the hospital.
 
Another was travelling on a train between Miranda and Hurstville station. A nurse contacted the local paper (The Leader) and a student from a local school, she passed on her information to her principal hence passed onto Hurstville police.

On 21 July, 2008 an unexplained flower was found at my mother's resting place at Eastern Suburbs Cemetery.  This flower was not there the previous week (we have regular visitors to her resting place). It is an imitation blue flower.
 

 

Missing Persons Week
August 7, 2007 1:47 PM
By Laura Speranza - The Leader

Sick with worry: Sisters Sandra Lang (left), Tracey Mitchell and Kelly Mitchell say the disappearance of their brother has sent the family on a roller-coaster ride of emotions. ``It's the unknown that I can't cope with,'' Mrs Lang said. Picture: Lisa McMahon

The sisters of missing Mortdale man Stephen Mitchell have not stopped looking for him since he disappeared five months ago.
Sandra Lang, Tracey Mitchell and Kelly Mitchell say they have put their life on hold to search for their younger brother who disappeared on March 20.
Stephen, 35, left his sister Tracey's house in Beverly Hills that morning but he never made it to his flat.
His bank accounts and mobile phone have not been used since his disappearance.
Mrs Lang said Stephen suffered from schizophrenia.
The family discovered he had stopped taking his medication after he went missing.
The link between mental illness and missing people will be highlighted this week as Australia marks National Missing Persons Week, which began yesterday.
Inspector Mark McCallum of the NSW Police Missing Persons Unit said mental illness had been a factor in about 23 per cent of the 10,000 disappearances last year.
Mrs Lang is hoping this year's campaign will help other families from losing a loved one.
''Maybe the next family can prevent their loved ones from vanishing,'' Mrs Lang said.
''If I had known more about Stephen's mental illness, maybe he wouldn't be missing today.''
Mrs Lang said there had been several sightings of Stephen at Jannali shops.
''We've been looking for Stephen for five months but it seems like eternity,'' Mrs Lang said.
''It's very hard to go about your normal day to day things.
''I get so drained thinking and wondering where he is.
''My heart goes out to people who have been looking for longer.''
Stephen is 170cm tall with brown hair, blue eyes and a chipped front tooth.
Missing Persons Hotline: 1800 025 091