Australia: New clue emerges in 53-year-old cold case of toddler's disappearance

Police in Australia have taken a renewed interest in a 53-year-old cold case after fresh and what has been called 'compelling' information came to light, BBC has reported. The case is about the disappearance of three-year-old Cheryl Grimmer from an Australian beach in Fairy Meadow, a city in Australia. A man has reportedly told the BBC that he saw a teenage boy walking away with a crying toddler on January 12, 1970.

The police always suspected that Cheryl Grimmer was abducted but the case went cold and hasn't yet been solved. The witness, who was seven years old, has been quoted as saying that the incident was "etched in his mind". BBC reported that the man has now been contacted by the police.

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The witness appeared in BBC's true crime podcast named Fairy Meadow and described the incident in detail.

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On January 12, 1970, a rare "southerly buster" wind blew through Fairy Meadow, which made the beachgoers run away from the beach. It is because of this that the witness said he was able to pinpoint the memory to this day.

The man told BBC that he saw an adolescent leaving changing rooms meant for women with a crying toddler in hand. Cheryl had disappeared from the women's changing room when her brother, who was looking after her was distracted for a few seconds.

"When I glanced back at the toilet block, the profile of the guy was sort of full-stride with this baby in his arm, just kind of screaming and yelling at his hip, like low on his hip," the eyewitness told BBC.

The man reportedly asked the BBC to keep his identity private.

"I heard this screaming of the kid. That's what caught my ear. What was that shrieking sound? I turned around and that's what I saw."

On why the eyewitness or his family did not approach the police, he said that at the time of the incident, they had shifted from Eastern Europe and did not speak English.

(With inputs from agencies)