QLD: Police to search new area for missing schoolgirl

AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-1999
QLD: Police to search new area for missing schoolgirl

BRISBANE, April 29 AAP - Police will target a new area tomorrow in their search for
Rockhampton schoolgirl Keyra Steinhardt who was believed to have been abducted while walking
home from school a week ago.

Police today went back to the spot where nine-year-old Keyra was allegedly bashed and
thrown into a boot of a car, in the hope that other students or people in the area would
recall some detail of last week's incident.

"We had a team of detectives and uniformed police there today to intercept the school kids
on their way home to see if they saw anything last week," police spokesman Brian Swift said.

"We also went to an area known as the dog track at the back of the race course, where a red
car was reportedly seen last week, in case anyone who frequented the area on Thursday could
tell us anything new.

"We wanted to find out if anyone had seen a red car or if they were in the area in a red
car last Thursday."

Police have seized a red Mazda and sent forensic samples from it to Brisbane for testing.

"We will also be starting on a new search area tomorrow," Mr Swift said.

"It is on the Yeppoon road, but I am not prepared to say anything more than that."

He said police decided to search the area after receiving information from a member of the
public.

Meanwhile, students and staff at the Rockhampton primary school where Keyra was in grade
four have been receiving counselling to help them cope with Keyra's disappearance.

Berserker Street State School principal Cecily Andersen said eight counsellors had been
brought in to the school.

"Children are finding it very difficult to cope with, especially those who walked home with
her on that afternoon," Ms Andersen said.

A 47-year-old man is in custody charged with child stealing.

Police say he has made no admissions regarding Keyra's disappearance.

AAP jfs/hu/br

KEYWORD: SCHOOLGIRL NIGHTLEAD

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.