It has been 25 years since 2-year-old Amber-Lee Cruickshank disappeared from Kingston on the shore of Lake Wakatipu. Initially she was presumed drown but quickly police and her mother Nicola suspected something far more sinister happened to the little blonde girl. Video / Mike Scott
• Police believe Amber-Lee was taken • They have people of interest but no arrests • One man came under the spotlight after Sensing Murder • For the first time, he speaks
Someone out there knows what happened to Amber-Lee Cruickshank, who was last seen at Kingston at the southern end of Lake Wakatipu in October 1992.
But who?
After an episode of the television programme Sensing Murder aired in 2008 Amber-Lee's mother Nicola fixated on one man.
So-called psychic detectives on the show told her that Amber-Lee was taken by a man she knew.
Chasing Ghosts is the first serialised podcast produced by NZME and was released this week.
Comprising of six episodes, it tells the story of Amber-Lee, what happened to her that day at Kingston And how her disappearance impacted on her family.
In episode four we explain why Nicola Cruickshank turned to the psychics of Sensing Murder for help and how she became fixated on Barrett.
The last photo taken of Amber-Lee Cruickshank. New Zealand Herald photograph by Mike Scott
After the show aired Barrett volunteered to be interviewed by police and gave them a statement.
He spoke about that, and where he was when Amber-Lee vanished, in episode four of Chasing Ghosts.
You can listen the six-part series by clicking on the embedded audio files below. Alternatively you can listen on newstalkzb.co.nz.
Chasing Ghosts tells Amber-Lee's story in unflinching and enormous detail.
Chasing Ghosts was researched and written by senior crime reporter Anna Leask.
Leask says the project aims to bring fresh attention to case in the hope that someone comes forward with information that could help bring Amber-Lee home.
"At the very least, I wanted to make sure everyone knew about Amber-Lee And what happened to her, dispel some of the myths around the case And hopefully encourage the people with answers to come forward."
The memorial plaque to Amber-Lee in Kingston. It reads 'presumed drown'. New Zealand Herald photograph by Mike Scott
Visual journalist Mike Scott did the field recording and produced the mini-documentary.
Leask and Scott had unprecedented access to Amber-Lee's mother, Nicola Cruickshank, and others closely connected to the case.
Help bring Amber-Lee home
If you know what happened to Amber-Lee, or have information you have never shared with police that could help the investigation - please come forward.
Contact Detective Sergeant John Kean at the Invercargill police on 021 191 5321 or email john.kean@police.govt.nz.
To pass on information anonymously, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or fill out their online form here.
This service is completely confidential And you do not have to reveal your identity. Police have no way of tracing who passes on tips to Crimestoppers. You can also email anna.leask@nzherald.co.nz.
