Beaumont Children Case Study

The Beaumont children's disappearance has resulted in one of the largest police investigations in Australian criminal history and remains one of Australia's most infamous unsolved cold cases. The three Beaumont children, Jane Nartare Beaumont, Arnna Kathleen Beaumont, and Grant Ellis Beaumont disappeared from Glenelg Beach near Adelaide, South Australia.

On January 26, 1966, Jane, age nine, her sister Arnna, age seven, and her brother Grant, age four, left their residences at 109 Harding Street, Somerton Park, to catch the 10 o’clock bus to Glenelg. Glenelg was a beach-side suburb of Southern Australia, popular for its local businesses and beaches. It was nearly 104 degrees Fahrenheit outside, which prevented the children from riding their

Police investigating the case confirmed with several witnesses that this man was in his mid-30s. The Beaumont children were seemingly relaxed and comfortable around him as they played in the sand. Two hours later, the man and the children were seen walking together away from the beach, which the police have estimated to be around 12:15 pm. Before leaving the town center/beach area, Jane Beaumont entered a local shop, where she purchased pastries and a meat pie. The shopkeeper, who knew the children from previous visits, reported the Jane bought these items with £1 note; this is significantly more money than the three children were given, leading the police to believe that someone else had given them this

The postman knew the children well, and the police investigating this case regarded his statement as factual evidence. However, the police can not determine why these obedient, reliable children, who were already an hour late, were strolling down the street along seemingly unconcerned. This was the last confirmed sighting of the three children, yet it has been suggested that the postman may have mistaken the exact time he encountered the