New excavation: the Beaumont Children

Update: authorities only found animal bones, no signs of human remains.

The Australian papers just printed exciting news in the case of the three missing Beaumont Children. “Police have confirmed a new dig site in the search for the bodies of the missing Beaumont children.”

Jane Nartare (9), Arnna Kathleen (7), and Grant Ellis (4), known as the Beaumont Children, disappeared from Glenelg Beach, near Adelaide, South Australia, on January 26, 1966. Their disappearance is to this day Australia’s best known cold case.

In 2013, police dug around a factory in North Plympton was excavated after the authorities received a tip that the children were buried there. Nothing was found then. However, this might change.

“A Seven News investigation has revealed an anomaly was discovered in another spot at the site — an area of disturbed earth — just two weeks ago, through the use of a ground penetrating radar.”

A date for the excavation has not been set yet but I will be keeping an eye out and update this post soon.

On January 26, 1966, around 10am, the three children took the bus from their home to the beach. As usual, Jane was in charge of her siblings. They were expected back by noon. Around 3pm, the mail carrier saw the children walking alone and away from the beach in the general direction of their home. Police believe the mail carrier’s detailed description. He was familiar with the family as well. The mail carrier said that the children looked happy and that they greeted him. He was the last person to see them alive.

Jane’s behaviour is key if we wish to find out what happened to the three children. Jane was always in charge of getting her siblings where they needed to go. Despite just being nine years she was very mature, serious, and careful. Jane must have been familiar with whoever was involved in this crime. I am convinced of that. She had seen this person either at her home (e.g. a friend of the family) or maybe at school, at play dates, etc. She trusted whoever it was they met that day.

Jane acted normal in the shop they frequented but she made an unusual purchase: she bought pastries and a meat pie using a £1 note. Mrs. Nancy Beaumont told police that she had not given Jane notes but coins. The store owner was familiar with the family and the three children. He noted that a meat pie was not among their usual purchases. However, he did not say anything about any unusual behaviour in Jane. If somehow we still have that note I’d love to scan it with the M-Vac.

So what could have happened? One possibility is that someone assured Jane that they knew her parents well and that they would call to let their mother know that they would be home late. They somehow assured Jane that everything would be alright. The only person(s) who could have done that is someone Jane had met before AND in different settings (outside the home, away from her parents, to build trust) hence a friend of the family. The second possibility is that Jane was not her careful self. I do not believe that Jane could be easily tempted despite her young age. My reasons for that are her general behaviour as described in other posts on my blog about this case. You can find those all here.