By Jonty Ralphsmith
Dandenong North woman Cara Morrissey has been located by her family.
Mother Rhonda confirmed she was picked up by a truckie in Corio on Monday night in a post to her Facebook page on Tuesday.
“Cara has had minimal water, food or shelter during the seven days in the open,” the post read.
“Cara has some deep lacerations, blisters, bruises and shows other signs of hypothermia and mental strain with the ordeal. Cara is confused and exhausted.
“We expect that it will take some time for her to be sufficiently well enough to make any kind of statement.”
The family had previously said she had connections in the western suburbs but she does not appear to have received assistance from them.
The post also thanked everybody who has helped Cara, including people who provided her with warmth and food, and those that have assisted in the search effort across the past week.
After twice going missing last week, the 30-year-old was located by police on Saturday 4 June but declined assistance meaning she was no longer officially considered a missing person.
She had initially going missing with her dog Holly on the morning of Tuesday 31 May from Tirhatuan Park, sparking a widespread search and media frenzy.
She was then located at Kensington train station on the afternoon of Wednesday 1 June but went missing just hours after being admitted to Royal Melbourne Hospital’s emergency department.
In a post to her Facebook page on Saturday evening, mother Rhonda confirmed the family had received a message from police that Ms Morrissey had been sighted wearing a long sleeved shirt, hoodie and jeans.
Ms Morrissey was said to have answered questions adequately and said she had a friend’s place to go to, but the family disputes that as she has no connections in the area she was sighted.
“Whilst this isn’t the result anyone wants to hear, it has to be sufficient for now,” the post read.
“We have to trust that Cara has now managed to formulate some sort of plan to which nobody is privy.
“We also have to understand that there possibly will come a day when Cara reaches out to someone for help because life out there (especially in winter) is tough. We would hope that someone reaches back with kindness and understanding.”
Accompanying the post was a video with Rhonda, dad David and dog, Holly.
“Cara, we love you heaps, we really do and we just want you to know…we want to help you where you are, we want you to be warm, we want you to be safe,” David said.
“If you need anything, we’re always available to help you, you don’t have to contact us directly, you don’t have to see us but we’ve put some information on you Facebook messenger so if you need any help, it’s always there.”
David reiterated to the community that should Ms Morrissey reach out for help, it is their priority that she receives it and they, nor the police, need to be notified.
After Ms Morrissey went missing for the second time on 1 June, her mother posted on Facebook: “Due to a misunderstanding, Cara left hospital early and is still very unwell due to her period of time exposed to the elements.
“She is quite frail and we have real fears for her wellbeing.
She is a bit disoriented…who wouldn’t be after not sleeping for three days?”
The Facebook posts have also continually thanked people for looking for Ms Morrissey.
“There are literally hundreds of friends and friends of friends out looking for Cara each day.
“They have spent full days and nights scouring countryside, looking in all sorts of dark and dank spots.”
While doctors and hospital staff gave her the all-clear to go home after she had been there for about six hours and was treated in the Emergency Department, her Mum sensed something was off.
“I didn’t think she was right,” Rhonda told Star Journal.
“I saw her at Kensington (on Wednesday) when she got the ambulance and she didn’t seem herself.
“She seemed overwhelmed by the people around her because quite a few of her friends got down there and she didn’t seem to recognise them very well so I think she was a bit out of it.”
Ms Morrissey’s white Maltese-poodle cross, Holly is back with the family.
