The Disappearance of Bradford Pholi in Australia: He Dissappeared On His Way To See His Aunt in Newtown, Australia
The mysterious disappearance of Bradford Pholi, who vanished without a trace in December 1982, remains one of Australia’s most haunting unsolved mysteries.
Bradford Pholi was last seen heading to a train station in Dundas, New South Wales, to visit his aunt.
Despite extensive searches and investigations, no conclusive evidence has ever been found.
Decades later, the case continues to baffle authorities and haunt his family.
Who Was Brad Pholi?
Bradford Warner Pholi, affectionately known as Brad, was born on October 16, 1972, in New South Wales, Australia, to parents Berna Werner and Lorna Sue Pholi.
He was one of three children, with an older brother, Bernie, and an older sister, Anita.
Between 1976 and 1981, the Pholi family lived in at least seven different homes across suburbs like Carlingford, Parramatta, Bryde, and West Epping.
By 1981, they settled in Eastwood before moving to Dundas in September 1982, just three months before Brad’s disappearance.
Brad attended Carlingford Public School and was described by those who knew him as a free-spirited and friendly child.
Despite his small, thin frame, he had a lively personality and was friendly with everyone, even strangers—a trait that reportedly concerned his family.
Life at home, however, was far from stable.
Brad and his siblings were made wards of the state in 1977, when Brad was just five years old, due to their mother Sue’s inability to care for them.
Sue had a history of criminal behavior, including burglary and assault, and was allegedly abusive toward her children.
Witnesses claimed that Brad suffered the most from her anger, facing both physical violence and neglect.
His aunt Marilyn Cox recalled that Brad was often malnourished, surviving mostly on sandwiches.
Additionally, he was terrified of his mother, often shaking and fleeing when she entered the room.
Despite these challenges, Brad maintained a close bond with his siblings and his aunt Marilyn, whom he was visiting on the day he disappeared.
He enjoyed spending time with her and often confided in her about his struggles at home.
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On December 26, 1982, Brad left his home in Dundas, New South Wales, to visit his aunt Marilyn Cox in Newtown.
His mother, Sue Pholi, had reportedly asked Brad and his siblings to make the trip so that they could help her borrow money for cigarettes from their aunt.
His older sister Anita and brother Bernie refused to go and chose to stay home, but Brad happily agreed to go.
Around midday, Brad jumped over the back fence of his family’s Warwick Road home and began walking toward Eastwood train station, approximately a 30-minute journey.
His brother Bernie tried to follow immediately, worried about Brad going alone, but by then, Brad was already gone.
Sadly, he never arrived at his aunt’s house.
By nightfall, when Brad failed to return home, his family grew worried.
They initially assumed he had stayed overnight with Marilyn, but when he didn’t come back the next day, they realized something was wrong.
Brad was last seen wearing green shorts, green flip-flops (or thongs, as they’re known in Australia), and a blue-and-yellow t-shirt with the slogan “Life, Be in It.”
His disappearance that Boxing Day remains a mystery, with no clear explanation of what happened to him after he boarded the train.
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Search and Investigation
After 24 hours of Brad's disappearance, Sue Pholi, and an unidentified male contacted the local police department and reported Brad missing.
Authorities immediately began searching the route Brad likely took from his home to Eastwood train station, but no trace of the 10-year-old was found.
An assistant at Eastwood railway station later came forward, telling police they had seen Brad board a Red Rattler train that day.
This was not unusual, as the Foley family frequently took the train to visit Brad’s aunt in Newtown.
Investigators also received an unconfirmed report of a sighting at a pinball parlor in King’s Cross, but this lead could not be verified.
In early 1983, police explored a tip about a pedophile ring operating in the area, allegedly targeting runaways.
However, the investigation was abandoned due to concerns for the safety of the street kids who provided the information.
The Pholi family criticized the police for their limited search efforts, claiming only one possible route was investigated.
They believed their Aboriginal heritage contributed to the lack of urgency.
In 2009, an inquest led by former deputy state coroner Karl Milovanovitch, concluded that Brad likely died on the day he disappeared, either from assault or abduction.
Milovanovitch criticized the handling of the case, noting that modern investigative systems would have treated it as a suspicious death much sooner.
The case remains officially unsolved, with the investigation still open.
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Possible Theories
The disappearance of Bradford Pholi has spawned several theories over the years.
Each of these theories offers a different perspective on what might have happened to the 10-year-old boy.
While none have been proven, these possibilities continue to fuel speculation and investigation.
1. Voluntary Runaway Due to Abuse: Bradford Pholi’s home life was reportedly far from stable.
Witnesses, including his aunt Marilyn Cox, described his mother, Sue Pholi, as physically and verbally abusive.
Brad was reportedly afraid of her, often shaking and fleeing the room when she entered.
Some believe Brad may have run away to escape the abuse, possibly seeking refuge elsewhere.
However, since he left without any belongings or money, it seemed unlikely that a ten-year-old would suddenly vanish, making this theory very doubtful.
2. Pedophile Ring: During the investigation, police received information about a pedophile ring operating in the area, targeting vulnerable children, including runaways.
Some street kids claimed this network abducted children and sold them through a sinister underground system.
While police considered this lead in early 1983, they ultimately abandoned the investigation to protect the safety of the informants.
This theory remains one of the most plausible, given the lack of evidence pointing to Brad’s survival.
3. Maternal Involvement: One of the most shocking theories involves Brad’s mother, Sue Pholi.
Witnesses claimed Sue was overheard in a Newtown bar saying she had “chopped up Brad’s body and buried him in the backyard.”
Marilyn Cox also recalled Sue saying that she was “happy” after Brad’s disappearance, and that "she was glad she had only two children to care for".
Sue’s history of violence and abuse toward her children added weight to this theory.
In 2002, police excavated the Pholi home’s backyard but found no remains.
However, Brad's siblings say that his sudden disappearance took a toll on Sue Pholi, making this theory questionable.
They said that after Brad went missing, their mom spent her entire pension printing and handing out flyers at pubs and other public spots.
Sue Pholi died in 1986, and her children believe that Brad's disappearance contributed to her death.
However, the police have a different view.
They believe that if Sue had still been alive, she would likely have been considered a person of interest.
4. Abduction by a Stranger: The most widely accepted theory is that Brad was abducted, possibly by someone he encountered on the train or at the station.
Witnesses confirmed he boarded the Red Rattler train at Eastwood station, but his fate after that remains unknown.
The unconfirmed sighting at a King’s Cross pinball parlor suggests he may have been lured or taken by someone he met during his journey.
Modern detectives lean toward this theory, as it aligns with patterns of child abductions during that era.
Each theory offers a glimpse into the possible fate of Bradford Foley, but without concrete evidence, the truth remains elusive.
Ongoing Efforts
Despite the passage of time, the search for Bradford Foley continues.
The New South Wales government has offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts.
For Brad's Siblings, Anita, and Bernie, the pain of not knowing what happened to their brother is a burden they carry daily.
They have spent decades seeking closure, hoping to one day lay their brother to rest.
As the search for answers continues, the hope remains that one day, the truth about Brad’s fate will come to light.
If you have any information about Bradford Foley’s disappearance, please contact the New South Wales Police.
No matter how small, every piece of information could be the key to solving this decades-old mystery.
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