Canberra Milk cartons circulate the faces of 16 national missing people
Isobel Calder-Cassilles was just seven years old when her big sister Laura Haworth went missing in early 2008.
Key points:
- Canberra Milk and the Australian Federal Police's missing person milk bottle campaign is running for a second year
- This year's campaign features the faces of 16 "long-term missing people"
- Three people from the ACT are profiled — Laura Haworth, David Abuoi and Robert Jacob
"It was hard to grasp what missing really meant," Ms Calder-Cassilles said.
"A lot of the memories I have of her are what my family have told me.
"She was charismatic, bubbly, bright, outgoing, warm and friendly. She loved helping people and being around people all the time."
Then aged 23, Laura was last seen farewelling a friend in Queanbeyan on January 5, 2008.
The mother-of-two drove away in her red Mazda 121, having said she was going to work — but she never arrived.
On January 19, Laura's car was found at the Kanangra Court flats in Reid, but police were unable to find her.
"The hardest part about [having a missing family member] is people asking questions," Ms Calder-Cassilles said.
"They can be blunt and catch you off guard.
"Like, 'Do you think she's dead?' Because it's a bit, like, well, no, because you can't have that kind of mindset about it.
"You have no closure … all you can really hold on to is hope."
'Maybe it will jog a memory or bring out some information'
Hope is exactly what Ms Calder-Cassilles has, now that Laura's profile — along with the profiles of 15 other "long-term" missing people — is featured on milk bottles across the ACT.
The second consecutive milk bottle campaign is a collaboration between Canberra Milk and the Australian Federal Police (AFP)'s National Missing Persons Coordination Centre.
The campaign serves to raise awareness and collate more information about each person's case, and last year it brought back the ultimate result — one missing person was found.
Ms Calder-Cassilles is optimistic that people might recognise her sister's face, and will perhaps experience the same shock and excitement she did when she first saw the milk bottles at the supermarket.
"Other people will see that too, and maybe it will jog a memory or bring out some information we haven't heard yet," she said.
"That someone knows something, or that she is safe out there and she will come back, eventually."
She even wonders whether Laura, who would now be 36, might see the cartons, too.
"I feel like she's just gone on a long holiday and she will be, like, 'Oh, that's me! I'd better go home!'," Ms Calder-Cassilles said.
Three missing Canberrans featured in campaign
Laura joins David Abuoi and Robert Jacob as one of the three people from the ACT to be featured in this year's campaign.
David went missing in 2012, and was last seen on the morning of July 10 in the Civic area.
He had been visiting friends from Sydney, and had recently moved from there to live in Canberra.
Born in 1977, David would now be aged 43.
At the time of his disappearance, he was described as 175 centimetres tall, of thin build, with black hair, brown eyes and a dark complexion. Police believe David also used the names Gabriel and/or Malak.
Similarly, Robert was also last seen in the Canberra city area, on November 12, 2015. His daughter reported him missing on December 3, after not hearing from him for a few weeks.
Born in 1959, Robert would now be aged 60.
At the time of his disappearance, he was described as 179 centimetres tall, of thin build, with greying dark brown hair, brown eyes and a fair complexion. He had tattoos of barbed wire, Ned Kelly, 'Mum', 'Dad', 'Bianca' and 'Briony'.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Lesa Gale said the inclusion of people missing from areas other than Canberra highlights that this is a national issue.
"It is initiatives like these that remind people that missing persons are real people, and this is something that needs to be spoken about more," she said.
"We want people in the community to stop and think about not only these featured profiles, but also the profiles of the 2,600-plus long-term missing people across Australia.
"It is important that we work together to raise awareness and profile as many of these cases as possible, as every family equally deserves answers."
Canberrans are encouraged to share pictures of the Canberra Milk one-litre bottles on social media with the hashtag #missingXmilk during the campaign's four-week duration.
Information that may assist police can be reported to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.