Tasmanian teen’s mum breaks down as she pays tribute to daughter
Shyanne-Lee Tatnell’s mum Bobbi-Lee Ketchell broke down as she paid tribute to her daughter, on what would’ve been her 15th birthday.
The 14-year-old’s remains were found on July 26 in a bush track near Nabowla, a rural locality northeast of Tasmania.
A 36-year-old man from Scottsdale has since been arrested for her alleged murder.
Shyanne-Lee’s family gathered at City Park in Launceston over the weekend to celebrate what was supposed to be a happy occasion, as she would have turned 15 on Tuesday.
Her mother broke down in tears as she spoke publicly for the first time since the teen’s remains were found.
Bobbi-Lee Ketchell told 7News that finding her daughter’s remains “doesn’t make it hurt any less”.
“This was not the outcome that we had hoped,” she added.
“But I'm a blessed mum to have my child, to be able to farewell her. And she was taken too soon and she had her life ahead of her.”
The picnic in the park featured plenty of teal, Shyanne-Lee’s favourite colour, and her mother thanked the community, her friends and family for their endless support.
She also thanked emergency services for working tirelessly to find her daughter.
Ketchell also thanked everyone who paid tribute to her daughter by creating a memorial for her on the Henry St Bridge, where she was last seen alive.
“I can’t thank the people enough who did the memorial on the bridge,” she said.
“It means a lot to our family,” she added.
Shyanne-Lee’s siblings have remembered her as a kind sister who always made them laugh.
“She was really nice,” her sister Lakeesha said.
“A nice person, and a nice friend.”
Images: 7News