She went to a hospital appointment and never came home: $100K reward offered for missing mom of 3

Michelle Joan Leahy, 50, went missing on Oct. 16 during a scheduled trip to the hospital. The Australian mom of 3’s situation has gotten so dire, with no trace of where she might have gone, that her family has declared they will offer $100,000 AUD ($65,000) for anyone who might have any information that will lead to finding Michelle.

On the day of her disappearance, Michelle left her house in a suburb of Perth following her normal routine. There was no sign of anything bothering or stressing her that would suggest anyone might consider abducting her. She left the house in light brown sandals, blue pants, a white top, and a black baseball cap. The police have confirmed that she disappeared near the Hollywood Private Hospital, which they verified by releasing a photo of her captured by a surveillance camera outside the hospital.

In situations like this, there are rarely happy endings in missing person cases. When someone goes missing in very public areas, there is always cause for concern, because unlike remote areas where people can simply get lost, in urban areas, especially when someone is of sound mind, all signs point to someone who is not well, wherever they may be.

By the time the report went worldwide, it had been a week with no sign of Michelle, which in itself was a cause for further concern. Missing person cases are very reliant on expediency; every second counts. The more time passes when someone is missing, the less food they have, and in the case of serious injuries, the worse they get over time. Of course, there are exceptions: a man once survived at the bottom of a ravine after a grisly accident behind his steering wheel for 5 days, after all. There is always the chance of a miracle.

However, miracles also rely heavily on good Samaritans. If the entire community comes together to seek out a missing person, the higher the chances of them being found. Michelle’s husband, Murray Leahy, told the press in an attempt to incentivize the community, “We’ve reached a point in pure desperation where the family’s offering a reward of up to $100,000 [AUD] for anyone that can help find Michelle for us safe and sound.”

Murray gave an earnest plea, adding that her three children miss her and are heartbroken by her absence. People reached the legal authorities in Perth to ask if there was any progress with the search. Unfortunately, the legal authorities eventually got back with the news that Michelle was found deceased near the hospital. The police chose to share no further details with the public.

Deepest condolences to Murray and his young family. Unfortunately, missing person cases do not always end with the happy ending of the person rejoining their family. Murray has not yet made a public statement, either to the media or on his personal Facebook. The Leahy family deserves all the grace and time to find a way to recover from this.