Dandenong North woman found after vanishing while walking dog
By Erin Pearson and Nell Geraets
Missing woman Cara Morrissey and her dog were found safe on Wednesday afternoon following a cold and wet two-day search in Melbourne’s southeast.
The 30-year-old left her home to walk her dog near Tirhatuan Park, which runs along the Dandenong Creek, at about 7.30am on Tuesday.
Missing woman Cara Morrissey and her dog, Holly, were found at a train station late on Wednesday afternoon.
Police had called in a specialist search and rescue crew to assist the investigation on Tuesday morning. Community members also jumped in to help, braving the icy weather to letterbox drop missing-person fliers.
Rhonda Morrissey said when her daughter failed to return home from her morning walk, she began to search the nearby area.
“She left all those things at home – phone, wallet, keys, extra clothes – so we expected she’d only be gone a short amount of time as she hates the cold weather.
“Cara also has asthma.”
Missing person flyers were handed out on Wednesday across Dandenong North.Credit:Nine News
An unconfirmed sighting at Kensington Station at about 7am on Wednesday had been passed on to authorities. There, someone matching Cara’s description told a woman she was not well and gave her a number of a friend to call.
A police spokesperson said Cara was located safely with her dog in the Kensington area on Wednesday afternoon.
Rhonda Morrissey said in a Facebook post that her daughter was “very distressed” after spending nearly two days out in the open. She was taken to hospital, where she was being medically assessed.
The dog, Holly, returned to the Morrissey family home on Wednesday evening. Morrissey said Holly was healthy but showed signs of stress.
“We will all take it one step at a time,” she said. “Without everyone’s help in passing messages and the amazing job the police and SES have done ... who knows if we would have found Cara?”
About three years ago, Cara suffered a bout of memory loss while staying with friends, her mother said.
“We had forgotten about it. Maybe that has happened to her again,” she said.
SES crews arrive at the search site.Credit:Nine News
On Wednesday, police ramped up their search, calling in a helicopter, police horses and their search and rescue squad – working alongside volunteers with the State Emergency Service – to help as the city was battered by cold, wet weather.
Police concentrated their search around Tirhatuan Park, which is several acres of parkland and runs along the Dandenong Creek Trail.
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