THE SOCIAL media campaign to find answers surrounding the disappearance of 19-year-old Bellbrook teenager Kylee-Ann Schaffer on September 11, 2004, is gaining traction.
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Kylee-Ann's sister, Kaz Schaffer, has been working tirelessly to find out what happened to her younger sister after she attended a party at a home just outside of Willawarrin on the night of September 10, 2004. According to witnesses who were at the party, the following morning at about 8 o'clock, Kylee-Ann told them she was going for a walk through bushland to get to her parents' house.
Kylee-Ann hasn't been seen or heard from since September 11, 2004.
The popular podcast Australian True Crime released episode 'Can TikTok find Kylee-Ann?' on Monday, which includes an extensive interview with Kaz Schaffer.
The episode covers who Kylee-Ann was before her disappearance on September 11, 2004, and the difficult challenge Kaz and her family are facing to try and find out what happened to the then 19-year-old.
"Kylee was so special, she had the kindest heart. She wanted to believe the best out of everybody," Kaz said in the podcast.
"She was a big softie really."
Kaz has been running the Help Find Kylee-Ann Schaffer Facebook group for around 10 years, but revealed to Australian True Crime host Meshel Laurie that TikTok has been instrumental in bringing more attention to Kylee-Ann's disappearance.
"I created the Facebook page for Kylee and shared it as much as I possibly could over the years. It was only four weeks ago now that I discovered the multiple uses for TikTok."
Kaz was inspired to use the video sharing social media app as a tool to help raise awareness about Kylee-Ann's disappearance by a similar case in America.
"Sarah Turney inspired me to use TikTok, she is also looking for justice for her missing sister," Kaz said in the podcast.
"I've had more exposure on TikTok in the last week than I have in 10 years on Facebook."
Kaz also revealed on the podcast episode that she has read the statements from people who attended the party the night before Kylee-Ann went missing.
"The statements are all very conflicting, from something as simple as what she was wearing and the times in the statements all vary," she said.
Kaz also said some of the statements include information about an argument on the night of the party.
"She (Kylee-Ann) wasn't treated very nice at all. Someone that Kylee thought she was very close to screamed in her face, 'nobody f*****g likes you anyway and no one wants you here'. That was one of the last things she heard," Kaz revealed in the podcast.
"She was at a party with a group of people that had no regard for her."
Kaz's following on both TikTok and Facebook have increased dramatically over the past few weeks. There are now over 2300 people who are members of the Facebook group, while Kaz's TikTok account following grows everyday (at the time of publication she has 7547 followers).
"Online I've had quite a bit of support, even from people in Ireland and England and the US, from all over the world I've been getting more support everyday," she told Australian True Crime host Meshel Laurie.
Kaz ended the podcast episode by asking anyone who might have information about Kylee-Ann's disappearance to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers.
"I'm not seeking revenge, I just want to bring my sister home," she said.
In 2010, six years after Kylee-Ann was last seen, the coroner ruled that the 19-year-old is in all likelihood deceased.
During the inquest into Kylee-Ann's disappearance and suspected death, presiding magistrate Wayne Evans ruled that on the balance of probabilities he was satisfied Kylee-Ann was deceased, but how, where, and by whom, he could not determine.
Anyone with any information regarding the events leading up to Kylee-Ann's disappearance on September 11, 2004, is urged to contact Kempsey Police on 6561-6199 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333-000.
The Australian True Crime podcast episode 'Can TikTok find Kylee-Ann?' can be found here: https://australiantruecrimepodcast.com/
You can find Kaz Schaffer on TikTok by searching @kazschaf
The Facebook group Help Find Kylee-Ann Schaffer can be found here.