The Missing Niamh podcast is full of surprising twists and turns. Photo: Supplied.
A podcast by an anonymous host about a teenager who went missing from the Riverina 22 years ago has hit 1.75 million downloads.
The team at Casefile delved into the true story of then 18-year-old Niamh Maye, who disappeared after moving to Batlow to work as a fruit picker.
She was last seen in the town of Jingellic, near the Victorian border, on Saturday 30 March 2002. She was planning to catch a bus from Batlow to the train at Cootamundra, to travel to her sister’s home in Sydney, but has never been seen or heard from since.
Casefile generally presents standalone single episodes about a cold case, narrated by an anonymous man known only be the pseudonym “Casey”.
While researching what was intended to be a single episode for the Niamh Maye case, Casey said he found so many intriguing elements, he took four years to write and create this new series, which was published in September.
He presents a 12-episode series that includes interviews with Niamh’s siblings Fionnuala Hagerty and Kieron Maye, her parents, close friends and many other people she encountered in Batlow and Jingellic.
Ms Hagerty said she hoped the podcast would help find answers that will lead the family to Niamh – and it appears to have yielded some results.
“We’ve received a significant number of emails from listeners, which has been fantastic,” the Casefile team told Region.
“As we mentioned on the podcast, no piece of information is too small. We encourage anyone who thinks they might have something to share, even if it seems minor, to get in touch by email [at [email protected]]. Every tip helps us to further piece together the story.”
Niamh’s family were interviewed for the podcast. Photo: Supplied.
The podcast has reached 1.75 million downloads to date and is averaging around 14,000 listens per day.
“[It’s] been incredibly popular worldwide. While Australia has the largest share of listeners, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and Ireland also make up a substantial portion of the audience, with additional listeners tuning in from across the globe,” the Casefile team said.
The podcast explores several theories on what may have happened to Niamh, highlights apparent police missteps in the investigation and even funds excavation work to look for her personal possessions, which have also never been found.
It also chronicles the culture and dynamics of Batlow in the early 2000s, when it attracted working holiday backpackers from all around the world and takes listeners on a tour of other Riverina towns such as Tumut and Deniliquin.
“There are no immediate plans to release further episodes, but we’re always open to the possibility if new information comes to light. We remain committed to the case and will consider updates if there are any significant developments,” the Casefile team said.
You can listen to the podcast on the Missing Niamh website or wherever you access podcasts.
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