In February 1984, a mother kissed her little girl goodnight as she put her to bed, then turned off the light and shut the door. A routine she had done many times before, but after this terrible night, she would never be able to do it again.
Renee Aitken , who is only 5, has missed out on making memories with her family that will last for the rest of her life. Renee was a happy-go-lucky little girl who loved her family, and they loved her back.
Renee was always up for an adventure. She told her family stories about her many different experiences and kept them laughing with her lively, funny personality.
A twinkle in her eye, a sly smile, and a kind heart… Renee is a much-loved daughter, sister, niece, and cousin… Renee’s family misses her very much, and not a day goes by when they don’t hope she will be found.
Waiting for Renee to come home, hoping for answers when the doorbell rings… The Aitken family has been living a nightmare for 37 years, and they are asking that ANYONE with information PLEASE come forward to help end their nightmare.
Renee’s family’s nightmare started 37 years ago, but it still feels like just yesterday that this terrible journey began.
Renee Aitken left her home in Narooma, NSW, on February 17, 1984, when she was only five years old.
Renee shared a room with her older brother. The night before she went missing, her mom saw her in bed at 11:15 p.m. The next morning at 4:45, when her mom went in to check on the two kids, Renee was gone.
Renee’s disappearance led to a massive search and a huge police investigation.
Suspects
Michael Guider was found guilty of killing Samantha Knight, who was nine years old and went missing in 1986. He is also a suspect in Renee’s case. In prison, he drew pictures of a young girl who looked a lot like Renee Aitken, to whom he told the story as “Renee.” He was also found with scrapbooks that had newspaper articles about what happened to Renee.
Renee’s disappearance is thought to have something to do with Brian James Fitzpatrick, who has a history of sexual crimes. At the time that Renee went missing, her aunt Bonnie Aitken, her boyfriend, her boss, and Fitzpatrick were all on a fishing trip in Narooma. Fitzpatrick went to Morna’s apartment that night to get some blankets. He says that after going to the flat, he drove around Narooma for a few hours before stopping at a beach to listen to music and swim. Bonnie isn’t sure about his story, though, because everyone knows that Fitzpatrick is afraid of sharks and won’t swim because of it. At the inquest, she said she was sorry to everyone and that she felt responsible because she had brought Fitzpatrick into Renee’s life.
Fitzpatrick killed himself in 2003. It’s important to note that this happened after he was called to testify at an inquest into Renee’s death.
At the time she went missing, Renee was 91cm tall and had a thin build. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion. Renee would be 42 years old at this point.
Please call Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 if you know anything.