'So muddled up': How misunderstanding sparked search for 'missing' woman
A young Melbourne woman who went missing for two days managed to be "completely oblivious" to a city-wide search.
Hayley Dent, 28, was at a venue called Revolver on Chapel Street celebrating her birthday on Saturday night.
She told her friends she wanted to leave about 3am on Sunday, but no one saw her depart the venue sparking the search.
No one had heard from Ms Dent until Victoria Police revealed she was “safe and well with friends” on Monday night.
But Ms Dent’s aunt, Leeanne Duncan, said her niece’s disappearance was one big misunderstanding.
“Hayley actually did go home,” Ms Duncan said.
“But her mother, who’s ill, didn’t realise. She’s been under a lot of stress.”
Ms Dent lives with her mum who is seriously ill with cancer.
Ms Dent’s stepfather John Young said the 28-year-old left “no indication” she had been home.
“That’s just the way it’s unfolded,” he said.
“She used the side gate and the side door. We never use the side gate or the side door. There’s no reason to. It got so muddled up. We had no idea she had been home.”
Mr Young added Ms Dent was with a different group of friends on Saturday night to the ones she had spent the past two days with.
The friends she was with on Saturday night told Ms Dent’s parents they had not seen her on Sunday and that sparked calls for the 28-year-old to be found.
Ms Duncan said the 28-year-old was “not a big phone person” and “neither here nor there” with using hers.
“She had actually borrowed a phone from a friend but had to give it back,” she said.
“She would have been completely oblivious to what was going on until she read the news. I’ve told her to get a new phone.”
Ms Dent’s family are relieved she is OK.
“It’s fantastic,” Ms Duncan said.
“But she’s one of the lucky ones. There are a lot of people go missing and just don’t get found. We’re very relieved and we can’t thank police and the media enough.”
When asked about the incident a Victoria Police spokeswoman said: "We’re just happy she’s been found."
