Australia Australia - Bradford Pholi, 10, Dundas, NSW, 26 Dec 1982

[PrimeSuspect]

Bradford Pholi

Missing since:
Sunday, December 26, 1982

Last seen:
Dundas NSW

Responsible jurisdiction:
NSW

Year of birth:
1972

Age now:
49

Gender:
Male

Height:
135cm

Build:
Thin

Hair:
Brown

Eyes:
Brown

Complexion:
Dark

Reward offered:
100000

Bradford Pholi was last seen leaving his home in Warwick Road, Dundas, on Boxing Day (26 December) 1982. He was heading to Eastwood Train Station to go to his aunt's house in Newtown, but never made it.

Police believe that Bradford never made it to the station.

If you have information that may assist police to locate Bradford please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Bradford PHOLI

Coming up to Christmas, must be painful for the family even after all these years.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

'My mother did not kill my brother'

Lorna Pholi used to smack, belt and throw things at her children, but she had nothing to do with the disappearance of her "golden child", her surviving children have told a coronial inquest.
Bradford Pholi was 10 when he went missing from his home in Sydney's northwestern suburb of Dundas around midday on Boxing Day, 1982. His mother Lorna Pholi reported him missing 24 hours later.
Police were told by friends and neighbours that Lorna had been violent towards the boy in the past.
The officer in charge of the investigation has told an inquest at Westmead Coroner's Court that police suspect foul play and that if Lorna was alive today, she would be a person of interest.
Lorna died in 1986.

In the witness box today, Bradford's sister Anita Pholi and brother Bernie Pholi told Deputy State Coroner Carl Milovanovich their mother had smacked them, thrown things at them and taken the belt to them.

But she had nothing to do with Bradford's suspected death, the hearing was told.
"My mother did not kill my brother," an emotional Anita told the court.

On the day of Bradford's disappearance, Lorna had asked him and his older brother Bernie to visit an aunt in Newtown, who she had arranged to borrow money from to buy cigarettes, Anita told the court.
Bernie refused to go but Bradford said he would go alone.
They never saw him again, Anita said. Bernie told the inquest he regretted every day his decision not to go with his brother.

Anita recommended police find and question Vince Ell.
"We were all afraid of him," she said.
"If the court or police could find him and maybe bring him and ask him a lot of questions - because I think he holds the key."
The coroner adjourned the matter until August 6 to give police enough time to try to track down Mr Ell.

He recommended that DNA samples be taken from Anita to try to match them to any unidentified remains.

'My mother did not kill my brother'


If Anita and Bernie witnessed their brother, Bradford, leaving the house for an errand, then the mother is in the clear. It's an abusive household though, I wouldn't blame him if he ran away from home. Did he trust someone to help him out but met with foul play instead?

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Open verdict in cold case inquest 17 Dec 2009

A senior police officer says the investigation into the fate of a 10-year-old boy who disappeared in 1982 will not close until the truth is known.

New South Wales deputy coroner Carl Milovanovich returned an open verdict after an inquest this year.

Deputy coroner Carl Milovanovich found that Bradford Pholi is now dead and was probably assaulted or abducted 27 years ago.

He says police at the time did not canvass for possible evidence in the right areas because they had incorrectly concluded the 10-year-old boy had run away.

"There is no evidence to support early theories that Bradford simply ran away," he said.

Detective Newman says the coroner has ruled out any involvement by Bradford's mother and has opened some new avenues for the unsolved homicide team to pursue.

Open verdict in cold case inquest


So the police did assume he ran away and did a poor job of searching for him. A 10 yr old boy could easily have been coaxed into a car by a stranger or someone he knew, for a lift to the Aunt's house instead of going by train, to save on fare. I'm sure someone saw something, if only it was given plenty of air time within those first days of his disappearance, jog someone's memory.

 

[Bit of hope]

I find this quote from the sister weird

On the day of Bradford's disappearance, Lorna had asked him and his older brother Bernie to visit an aunt in Newtown, who she had arranged to borrow money from to buy cigarettes, Anita told the court.

Did she really said that? So Lorna had the money to buy (initially) 2 train tickets (only Bradford went) to go from Dundas to Newton (a train trip of 1.15 hours) to borrow money from an aunt to buy cigarettes. Either this is a BS story (memory is a strange thing) or the cigarettes were already very expensive back then (I don't think so) or......she wanted to buy a lot of cigarettes....etc...

You see what I mean. Or I'm I totally wrong?

 

[PrimeSuspect]

I find this quote from the sister weird

On the day of Bradford's disappearance, Lorna had asked him and his older brother Bernie to visit an aunt in Newtown, who she had arranged to borrow money from to buy cigarettes, Anita told the court.

Did she really said that? So Lorna had the money to buy (initially) 2 train tickets (only Bradford went) to go from Dundas to Newton (a train trip of 1.15 hours) to borrow money from an aunt to buy cigarettes. Either this is a BS story (memory is a strange thing) or the cigarettes were already very expensive back then (I don't think so) or......she wanted to buy a lot of cigarettes....etc...

You see what I mean. Or I'm I totally wrong?

I thought the same thing, unless she wanted a carton or two, that could be expensive. The kids said she was a heavy smoker, probably a pack a day. I wonder how busy it would've been around the street and train station on Boxing day back in 1982, none of the big department stores would've been open, not many people about, he was an easy target.

 

[Bit of hope]

Sadly it's an article behind a paywall....there are also pictures of his mother Lorna in it.

No Cookies | Daily Telegraph

The mystery of Bradford Pholi’s disappearance
IT is Boxing Day, 1982, a young indigenous boy jumps the back fence of his Dundas Valley home to scurry off to Eastwood station — he is on a mission to borrow money for his mother — minutes later his brother goes after him, but Bradford Pholi is never seen again.

 

[Bit of hope]

Bradford Warner PHOLI

More pictures of him in here.

Date of Birth: 1972
At time of disappearance
Age: 10 Height (cm): 135.0 Build: Thin
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Brown Complexion: Dark Brown
Nationality: N/A Racial Appearance: Indigenous
Circumstances - 10 year old Bradford Pholi was last seen leaving his home at Dundas, Sydney on 26 December 1982. He intended on travelling by train to Newtown to visit a relative, however he never arrived. Bradford has not contacted family or friends since this time. There are grave concerns for his welfare.

Reward of $100,000 offered to solve case of missing boy Bradford Pholi
Minister for Police Michael Daley today announced that the NSW Government would offer a $100,000 reward for information relating to the disappearance of 10 year old Bradford Pholi in 1982.
Mr Daley said the reward offer came ahead of the final day of the coronial inquest into Bradford's disappearance and presumed murder.

"Bradford was last seen leaving his home in Warwick Road, Dundas, on Boxing Day 1982," he said.

"He was heading to Eastwood Train Station to go to his aunt's house in Newtown, but never made it.

"His mother, who died in 1986, and an unidentified man reported him missing at Eastwood Police Station.

"Police believe that Bradford never made it to the station, but he can't have vanished without a trace. (View Map)

"I hope that this reward offer will encourage anyone who lived in the Dundas, Carlingford, Eastwood, Parramatta, Ryde or West Epping areas in 1982-83 to think back to that day and contact Police if they remember seeing Bradford walking along their street.

"It was Boxing Day, someone must have seen Bradford walking alone as they were putting the rubbish out or trying out their Christmas gifts in the front yard.

"His brother Bernie and sister Anita, then aged 11 and 13 respectively, have spent 27 years wondering what happened to their little brother - they deserve closure," Mr Daley said.

Rosehill Local Area Command Crime Manager, Detective Inspector Darren Newman welcomed the NSW Government reward offer.

"I would ask anyone who saw Bradford that day to contact us, so his surviving relatives can know the truth," he said.

"Cold cases are difficult to solve, but the passage of time and this reward offer may encourage someone with a guilty conscience or someone who may have been told something about the disappearance to come forward.

"I would like to speak to anyone that may have knowledge of individuals living in that local area at that time who displayed unusual behaviour particularly towards children.

"There is no doubt someone has either direct or indirect knowledge about this disappearance," Mr Newman said.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Information will be treated as strictly confidential and may be given at any time of the day or night.

Deputy State Coroner Milovanovich will be releasing his findings into the disappearance and presumed murder of Bradford Pholi on Thursday 17th December 2009.

 

[Bit of hope]

Bradford Warner PHOLI

Bradford's mother and an unidentified man reported him missing more than 24 hours later to Eastwood Police Station.

The cold case is now being investigated by detectives from Rosehill Local Area Command.

The inquest will attempt to establish what happened to Bradford and will focus on establishing the identity of the man who reported him missing. His mother died in 1986.

Bradford's brother and sister, who were aged 14 and 12 at the time, are being called to give evidence at this week's inquest.

Rosehill Local Area Command Crime Manager, Detective Inspector Darren Newman, who is leading the case, will outline his investigation at the inquest.

"Something that has troubled me and other investigators over the years, is how such a young boy can seemingly vanish without a trace?" Det Insp Newman said.

"There is no doubt that either a relation or someone who was close with the Pholi family holds vital information about what happened to Bradford.

"It is vital we attempt to establish the identity of the mystery man who went with Bradford's mother to report him missing. <Is this Vince Ell?>

"We hope this inquest will help unearth information about him that as yet remains secret.

 

[Bit of hope]

Bradford Warner PHOLI

But that is cold comfort to Ms Pholi <Anita, sister of Bradford>and her brother Bernie, who now feel there is little chance of finding their brother’s remains, or any information about his disappearance.

Their broken-hearted mother Lorna died in 1987 <other reports, 1986> at the age of 37, leaving 17-year-old Anita to raise Bernie.

Adding to the family’s pain was the suspicion that Lorna had killed her youngest son, although it was not until 2000, after she had died, that police dug under the family home in Warwick St to search for Bradford’s remains.

``You can imagine how we felt, after our mother dying and people accusing us of having killed Bradford, to have police dig up under the house,’’ a tearful Ms Pholi <Anita> told the Parramatta Advertiser in an exclusive interview this week.

``There was no apology, no comfort afterwards when they found nothing.’‘

While Ms Pholi is full of praise for police involved in the current investigation, she feels the case was wrongly handled in the beginning because they are an Aboriginal family.

``Police thought Bradford had run away but he would never have left mum. He had often traveled by train to Newtown to see our aunt but Bernie and I often went as well,’’ Ms Pholi said.

``On that day, I had slept in and Bernie didn’t want to go.

``I feel guilty about that.’‘

Police say Bradford’s mother and an "unidentified man’’ they want to question reported him missing at Eastwood police station on December 27. But Ms Pholi said she and her mother visited the station late on Boxing Day when he had not returned home.

``But we were told that they could do nothing until he was missing for 24 hours. They didn’t even write anything down,’’ Ms Pholi said.

``My mother went back the next day but not with a man she was on her own.

``I feel that someone must know what happened to my brother and the reward will help. We just want to know where his remains are so we can lay him to rest.’‘

and much more interesting things.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Thanks, very interesting info at link.

Ms Pholi told the media at the time station staff had seen her son boarding a train at Eastwood railway station. ( I hadn't read this before)
This is the official report - "Police believe that Bradford never made it to the station, but he can't have vanished without a trace." (it's quite a long walk to station too, anything could've happened along the way.)

Police revealed yesterday they were searching for a man who accompanied Bradford's mother Lorna Pholi to the Eastwood police station to report him missing. (surely, the police would've got both their names when they reported Bradford missing, or he was cleared, has an alibi so he wasn't mentioned or is he Vince Ell?)

 

[Bit of hope]

Thanks, very interesting info at link.

Ms Pholi told the media at the time station staff had seen her son boarding a train at Eastwood railway station. ( I hadn't read this before)
This is the official report - "Police believe that Bradford never made it to the station, but he can't have vanished without a trace." (it's quite a long walk to station too, anything could've happened along the way.)

Police revealed yesterday they were searching for a man who accompanied Bradford's mother Lorna Pholi to the Eastwood police station to report him missing. (surely, the police would've got both their names when they reported Bradford missing, or he was cleared, has an alibi so he wasn't mentioned or is he Vince Ell?)

Yes, exactly what I thought. Did he or did he not board the train? They lived there just for three months. How often did the children went with the train to the aunt? Senior Sergeant John Tripp said inquiries were made after a station assistant who knew Bradford, saw the boy board a train at Eastwood Station on Boxing Day 1982. I mean, how would this assistant know him?

What I understand is the children always took the same routes. The older brother seemed to have followed him just a few minutes after Bradford left, because he felt a bit guilty or something, but didn't see him.....

The story of the unidentified man is very confusing too. The daughter is sure her mom went there alone, but maybe she picked up someone on her way there? And I agree....the police would have made a note about him, with a name....

 

[Bit of hope]

What is the story with this Vince Ell? How old was he, Caucasian, Aboriginal? Was he mother's boyfriend, a neighbor? I found a Vincent V. E. with an extended family in NSW, but he is from an older generation and died in 1972. There might be some kind of link, considering the name, but I couldn't find that.

I feel so sorry for this beautiful child and his family. Australia is so unimaginable big for a Dutchie like me....I think he is no longer with us, and his little body could be anywhere. Not getting the story straight, how, when, where....where to search for his remains? Sad.

 

[Bit of hope]

Can somebody explain to me how this works with Bradford called aboriginal/indigenous? I have a, maybe limited view, on what the aboriginal/indigenous people from Australia look like? I would really like to know, because I totally don't see that. Is it the shape of the nose?

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Can somebody explain to me how this works with Bradford called aboriginal/indigenous? I have a, maybe limited view, on what the aboriginal/indigenous people from Australia look like? I would really like to know, because I totally don't see that. Is it the shape of the nose?

Bradford's description stated his complexion was dark.
He had Indigenous features, which would include the nose shape and he appeared mixed race, so that would explain his overall appearance.
He was a lovely looking boy with a beautiful smile, he should be alive today, living his life.

Police seemed convinced the family knew who abducted him, a friend of the family? Anita was fearful of Vince Ell and he was brought up at the inquest but nothing seemed to come of it.

His mother said he was friendly to strangers, so there's a possibility a man with bad intentions befriended Bradford on his walk or at the train station and somehow, persuaded him to leave with him. Reminiscent of the abduction of Daniel Morcombe by Brett Cowan.

What happened after we can only guess. He could be buried in someone's backyard or was taken out to the bush, up or down the coast, or up the mountains, and disposed of. Killers usually dispose of the body close to home or somewhere they've frequently visited, like a camping spot.

 

[Bit of hope]

I don't know how this works in Australia, is there a DNA database for missing and unidentified persons where family of missing persons can give their DNA to, in case of. Is there a law that DNA must be taken from everybody who is buried/cremated as a N.N.?