Aussie dad's desperate quest for the truth after daughter died during volunteer trip
The frustrated dad of a 20-year-old woman who died while travelling in Africa three years ago has continued his desperate mission to find answers.
Melbourne woman Elly Warren died in Mozambique, south-east Africa, in 2016, but her family still have very little information about the circumstances of her death.
Ms Warren’s dad, Paul, travelled to the country last year in an effort to track down his daughter’s killer himself, telling A Current Affair they deserved to “rot in jail”.
“Death is too good for them,” he told the program.
Ms Warren was found dead in the town Tofo face-down near a toilet block, with cuts and bruises on her neck and mouth, and underwear around her ankles.
Authorities initially deemed her death the result of a drug overdose, but testing revealed there were no drugs in her system.
Ms Warren, who was in Africa for a marine diving and volunteering program, was instead found to have suffocated after inhaling sand into her airways.
Almost three years on from her death, there has yet to be an arrest made.
The matter attracted the support of Prime Minister Scott Morrison who raised Ms Warren’s death with Mozambique authorities “at the most senior levels” last year.
Bill Shorten also wrote to Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Frances Adamson and AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin, requesting their help.
“I am aware of apparent inconsistencies in the investigation into Elly’s death conducted by the local authorities, including possible interference in the crime scene, and conflicting evidence,” Mr Shorten wrote last year.
Ms Warren’s mother Nicole Cafarella wants the government to keep asking questions in a bid to allow the AFP to assist in the investigation.
Australian officials cannot go into another country to investigate the death of a citizen, but governments can invite foreign help in exceptional circumstances.
“After two years we felt like we’ve exhausted all avenues,” Ms Cafarella told AAP last year.
“We’ve realised they’re (Mozambique police) heavily involved and we feel they’re even responsible for Elly’s murder and not willing to let the truth come out.
“This is not only to get justice for Elly, but to try and protect other tourists going there as well.”
‘It won’t bring her back’
Ms Cafarella said the family had cooperated patiently with authorities but felt nothing would ever be achieved by sitting back and waiting.
“Even if Elly’s murder was solved, we’re still dealing with the loss of our daughter, so that’s never going to change,” she said.
“There’s reminders of her every day, but knowing there’s somebody responsible for her murder out there and they’re not facing any consequences is even harder to take.”
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo’s daily newsletter. Sign up here.
