Name: Kirste Gordon
Case Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Missing Since: August 25, 1973
Location Last Seen: Adelaide, South Australia.
Date of Birth: 1969
Age: 4 years old.
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 3'4"
Weight: Unknown
Hair Color: Blond, shoulder length
Eye Color: Blue
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Fair complexion with faint frckles. Slight scar above bridge of nose; birthmarks at the base of spine and below the hairline.
Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown
Clothing: White pleated skirt, purple jumper, white pantyhose and brown lace up shoes.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
On the 25th of August, 1973, a South Australian National Football League game was in progress at Adelaide Oval.
Joanne Ratcliffe was at the match with her parents. Kirste Gordon was there with her grandmother. It has been inaccurately reported that the two families did not know each other but were sitting close to one another. This is not true. The families both had season tickets to the football game and sat next to each other in the same seats every week. They knew each other well and that's the only reason Kirste's grandmother allowed Joanne to take her to the toilet instead of taking her herself.
When Joanne went to the toilet, Kirste Gordon's grandmother asked her to take Kirste. They returned after a few minutes. A little over half an hour later, Kirste again wanted to go to the toilet. Again, Joanne took her, but this time they did not return. Upon realizing the girls had not returned from the toilets, a discussion was had between all members of the families and it was decided that each member would search an area of the football stadium for them with Kirste's grandmother remaining at the seats in case the girls returned there.
The Assistant Curator of the oval saw the girls leaving the Oval with a man. Over the next 90 minutes, four different sightings of the man and the two girls were made. In three of these sightings, Joanne appeared distressed. Kirste Gordon and Joanne Ratcliffe were seen with the man about 3 kilometers from the Oval, 90 minutes after they had left it. This was the last sighting. Neither they nor the man were ever seen nor heard from again.
Above: Sketch of possible suspect
In 1998, a joint inquiry was started to look into any possible connections between the 1966 abductions of Jane , Arnna and Grant Beaumont, the disappearance of Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon.
Agency Name: South Australia Police
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 08-8207 5000
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: N/A
The Oval Abduction- site not working
M.A.K.O.
Australian Missing Persons Register
Added: Prior to 2011; Last Updated: 08-23-2021 - By: Htmlcnvtr
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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