173. Abduction at the Adelaide Oval : Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon

 On an unseasonably warm day in August of 1973, while a crowd of around 13,000 fans watched the North Adelaide football team play the Norwood Red Legs at the Adelaide Oval, 11-year-old Joanne Ratcliffe assisted 4-year-old Kirste Gordon to the bathroom. The girls never returned to their seats.Although there were many witnesses, the girls have never been found. Their disappearance is one of South Australia's best-known crimes. 

Join Jen & Cam ass the discuss the case and possible suspects in "Abduction at the Adelaide Oval: Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon" 

*** Correction!! Jen got one of the suspects' names backward. It should be Arthur Stanley Hart, not Stanley Arthur Hart 

Composite of man seen leaving with the girls

Arthur Stanley Brown

A reward of up to $1,000,000 AUD remains on offer to anyone who either provides information leading to the recovery of their remains or information leading to a conviction in the case. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

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Thanks to the OTCP team

Listener Discretion by Edward @OctoberpodVHS. You can find him on all your podcast apps or at https://www.youtube.com/c/octoberpodhomevideo

Producer and theme music by Nico Vettese

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Researched and written by Lauretta Allen

Sources:

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases-int/575dfsau.html

https://crimestopperssa.com.au/case/joanne-ratcliffe/

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/q9sp8f/the_disappearance_of_joanne_ratcliffe_and_kirste/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/122624709/?terms=Kirste%20Gordon%20Joanne%20Ratcliffe&match=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf3_U0MLs9A

https://www.newspapers.com/image/122311582/?terms=Kirste%20Gordon&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/125772014/?terms=Kirste%20Gordon&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/122671976/?terms=Kirste%20Gordon%20Joanne%20Ratcliffe&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/121956331/?terms=Kirste%20Gordon%20Joanne%20Ratcliffe&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/123019736/?terms=Kirste%20Gordon%20Joanne%20Ratcliffe&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/120770130

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Adelaide_Football_Club

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide_Oval

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwood_Football_Club

https://www.newspapers.com/image/122311897/?terms=Kirste%20Gordon&match=1

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/man-claims-he-saw-joanne-ratcliffe-and-kirste-gordon-loaded-into-van-at-a-boarding-house-after-their-disappearance-from-adelaide-oval-/news-story/2a4aec7cb560f4b2fdd81206a1b04020

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/sister-of-abducted-girl-calls-for-urgent-dna-retesting-of-evidence-in-longterm-missing-children-cases/news-story/c3f4a38c9423c42015096543d122f5f5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFN1UFtI5fo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Vi0lckzaU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urzvnU9zvTA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Percy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bevan_Spencer_von_Einem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10Vp0rk4l40

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWN3cHKeuCw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQDW9pr_KzA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYp-vaW4jK4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanda_Beach_Murders