“Cherished forever and suffering no more,” Justine said in a statement to The Age.
“I am so sorry I could not protect you, that your experience of the world was cruel and unsafe. Despite your challenges you lived bravely, stood up for what was right and remained the kindest human, the gentlest soul.
“May your [alleged] murderer murder no more. With the deepest love and respect, your Mumma.”
Bell’s family championed her search effort, setting up social media pages, blanketing Melbourne’s inner north with posters and continuously pleading with the public to help find her over the last six weeks.
About a fortnight after Bell went missing, her mother told reporters her heart ached for her daughter, whose disappearance was out of character.
Isla’s mother, Justine, pleading for her daughter to return home in October.Credit: Justin McManus
“Isla, you’re deeply, widely loved by so many people, and your family and friends are just so distressed, darling. [We] just can’t wait to hold you up. We love you so much. We just want to know you’re safe, darling,” Justine said on October 22.
“We were planning a reef trip for her birthday. She was really excited about that. We were looking forward to spending time together with her family up north.
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“It’s her [20th] birthday today.”
At the time, police did not believe Bell’s disappearance was suspicious.
When asked if police were slow to respond, given their first public appeal was weeks after Bell went missing, Detective Acting Sergeant Dion Martin said: “Isla was reported missing on the 10th of October. The investigation was commenced immediately.”
The missing persons squad formally took over the investigation in late October.
On Sunday, Bell’s family marked 44 days since she went missing, saying there was no activity from her bank account or social media, and her phone had not pinged to any towers.
She last made contact with friends via social media on October 7, her loved ones said.
“It’s hard not to think the worst given the situation and the concerning circumstances in which she disappeared,” they said.
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