source : the age
By Riley Walter
A man has been charged with the murder of a Central Coast teenager whose body was found in a creek, almost a month after police initially dismissed her death as non-suspicious.
The body of Audrey Griffin, 19, was found in Erina Creek, Erina, around 3.45pm on March 24 after she was reported missing 36 hours earlier. She had last been seen near The Entrance Road in Erina around 3am after spending the night out with friends.
Audrey Griffin’s body was found in Erina Creek after her friends reported her missing in March. Police have charged 53-year-old Adrian Torrens with her murder.
When police initially found Griffin’s body in the creek, her death was treated as non-suspicious. When police publicly appealed for information about Griffin’s death, they again said it was not being treated as suspicious.
But around midday on Monday, police arrested Adrian Noel Torrens, 53, in Surry Hills, Sydney, and charged him with Griffin’s murder. Police allege Torrens had a physical altercation with Griffin. Griffin and Torrens were not believed to have been known to each other.
Torrens was also charged with 11 unrelated domestic violence offences. He was refused police bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday.
Weeks before her death, Griffin, an accomplished teen athlete and University of Technology Sydney student, had competed in the New Zealand half-ironman.
Griffin’s family remembered her as a “radiant soul” who was “full of light, kindness, and laughter”.
She was a member of the Gosford Water Polo club, which said Griffin “always brought a smile to those around her”, and a member of Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club.
Griffin was also part of the Terrigal Wamberal Sharks rugby league club, where she played junior and senior football and was a member of the Sharks’ inaugural under-17s premiership-winning team, and the club’s inaugural senior women’s team.
“With a larger-than-life personality, and happy-go-lucky nature, Audrey would hit with sting then check that they were OK, and then skip to each of the scrums,” the club said in a social media tribute.
“Audrey will be sorely missed by the Sharks family, may she rest in peace.”
A fund-raising page launched to help with funeral costs raised more than $30,000.
“We are heartbroken by the unexpected loss of our beautiful Audrey,” the fundraiser said.
“Audrey touched everyone, not just in her community but all over the country. She was the light in many of our lives. There is no doubt she bought endless laughter and joy to everyone. She was the kindest soul to walk this earth and will always be in our hearts.”
Ahead of her April 11 funeral, Griffin’s family paid tribute to her as a “radiant soul” who was “full of light, kindness, and laughter”.
“She touched the hearts of all who knew her, and her absence leaves an unfillable space in our lives,” her family said in a funeral notice.
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