THE elderly mother of a girl who disappeared from Ballarat 37 years ago will have DNA samples taken today to see if a body discovered in the United States is that of her missing daughter.
Police investigating the case of missing 16-year-old Sherrlynn Mitchell will today travel to Ballarat to take samples from her mother Betty Hill. Sherrlynn's older brother Gerard, who lives in Melbourne, will also have DNA samples taken today.
Ms Mitchell disappeared from Ballarat on November 22, 1973 while waiting for a bus. Her family has not seen her heard from her since.
Victoria Police confirmed on Wednesday they were investigating whether the body found in a Nevada desert in 1980 was that of Sherrlynn, who disappeared from Ballarat seven years before.
Belier Taskforce members and coroners from Clark County in Nevada have been working together in recent weeks to determine whether the Jane Doe found in the desert was that of the missing Ballarat teenager.
Ms Mitchell's mother said Belier Taskforce officers had contacted her and her son yesterday to confirm DNA tests would be carried out today.
''I'm relieved something is being done for Sherrlynn. Even if this body in Nevada doesn't turn out to be Sherrlynn, there is no harm in trying (to find out),'' said Mrs Hill, who turns 80 next month.
However, she believes her daughter may still be alive.
''I don't think she's dead ... I would have felt something if she was gone, but my motherly instincts tell me she's still alive.''
Ms Mitchell's brother Gerard was also relieved police were conducted DNA tests. ''I feel happy knowing that someone is looking for her. At least we know we've tried,'' he said.
The possible link between the disappearance of Ms Mitchell and the murder of Jane ''Arroyo Grande'' Doe was discovered by a member of the online Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community, which is made up of volunteers who
spend time trying to solve crimes involving missing persons, ongoing criminal cases and the identification of unidentified victims.
Websleuths member Cindy Harbison made the possible connection after reading an online article about Ms Mitchell's case by The Courier in April this year and information on the missing children's website NamUs (National
Missing and Unidentified Persons System).
Ms Harbison, who was researching the Jane ''Arroyo Grande'' Doe case when she stumbled across Ms Mitchell's story.
On October 5, 1980, the named body of Jane ''Arroyo Grande'' Doe was found by a passing motorist lying face down into he desert area on State Route 146, on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada. An autopsy revealed she had died
due to blunt trauma to the head and multiple stab wounds to her back.
Meanwhile, a Facebook page set up to put pressure on police to further investigate the Mitchell case has received almost 300 hits.
The page was set up by Mitchell family friend Alex Girle, who felt more needed to be done in the investigation.
To access Ms Girle's Facebook page, visit thecourier.com.au and follow the links.
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