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Grieving the loss of a murdered daughter

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Grieving the loss of a murdered daughter
(Photo courtesy Bill McAuley | billmcauleyphotographer.com)

One of my most challenging assignments was photographing Phyllis Chan (with permission) as she grieved the loss of her murdered daughter at the place where Karmein's body was discovered, one year after her disappearance.

The 13-year-old Chinese-Australian girl was abducted from her home in Victoria in 1991.

As seen here, Mrs Chan and her daughters are conducting a ceremony to help Karmein's spirit on its journey to the afterlife.

It is believed she was abducted by Australian serial child rapist 'Mr Cruel', who has never been caught.

**This photograph is part of an IA series that looks at Australia through the lens of award-winning photojournalist, Bill McAuley.**

Bill McAuley's 40-plus-year news career began in 1969 as a cadet photographer at 'The Age' in Melbourne.

He has several published collections, including 'Portraits of the Soul: A lifetime of images with Bill McAuley'. To see more from Bill, click here.

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