Meghan Godfrey had moved to Washington DC but had emailed her family saying she wanted to come home. Photo / Facebook
Meghan Godfrey had moved to Washington DC but had emailed her family saying she wanted to come home. Photo / Facebook
An Australian woman who ended up homeless after moving to Washington DC has been found dead days after telling her mum she was "ready to go back" to Australia.
Meghan Godfrey had asked her mum to bring her home in a chilling final email to her family in Australia that simply read: "Come take me home … ready to go back."
The 27-year-old from Yungaburra in Queensland, who was described as "charming, trusting, personable and full of adventure" by family, ended up on the streets after she was reportedly robbed of her wallet and ID, reports news.com.au.
Her mother Janelle Moncrieff arrived in the US capital on July 17 after seeing the mysterious email and making the long journey across the Pacific to bring her home.
She spent 10 days working alongside Washington DC Police, Amtrak Police, Union Station security, the Australian Embassy, the Australian expat community and street outreach groups trying to find her daughter.
Local women's outreach organisation HER Resiliency Centre released snaps of Meghan on social media in the hope of tracking her down.
She was last seen at Washington's Union Station and described as being in a "vulnerable state".
"At the beginning of this week our outreach team met with a woman who travelled here from Australia in search of her missing daughter (Meghan Godfrey), who was recently sighted in Washington DC," a HER spokeswoman wrote in a statement on July 14.
"The daughter is in a vulnerable state, had her wallet/ID stolen, and is currently living on the streets. We have been unable to locate her since Friday.
"Pictures of her are below in the hopes that perhaps one of you might have seen her more recently.
"The daughter did send her mother an email two weeks ago asking her to come take her home … that she is 'ready to go back'. That is why her mother is here.
"She is not going to leave until her daughter is found."
The group posted a picture of Meghan looking dishevelled sitting on the street outside a building with a bag, cigarettes and a takeaway cup.
Pictures show Meghan looking dishevelled in the days before she died. Photo / Facebook
Tragically, by the time Meghan's mother had arrived in the city, Meghan took her own life on July 16.
HER Executive Director Ami M Angell confirmed to news.com.au that Meghan had passed away: "Meghan Godfrey has been identified as the unidentified woman in the missing person composite. Yesterday I went with her mother to ID the confirm identification of the body."
Ms Angell said there had been a number of potential sightings of Meghan in the last week, none of which appeared to have been her.
In a GoFundMe page dedicated to raising money to fund bringing Meghan's body home, outreach officer Ami Angell said the family was experiencing "a lot of pain and anguish right now".
"They have been humbled and blown away with all the support that has come forth," she said.
Shortly after HERS worrying post about Meghan being "vulnerable", many on social media said they recognised the Queenslander and began posting pictures to help in the search for her.
Based on these pictures, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System released a composite image they created that they believed would resemble Meghan.
Ms Godfrey's mother formally identified the body and is now in the process of bringing her daughter home to Australia.
She said she would be grateful for any contribution made to assist with costs or raising awareness of the GoFundMe appeal.
Where to get help: • Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7) • Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7) • Youthline: 0800 376 633 • Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7) • Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm) • Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7) • Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155 • Samaritans 0800 726 666 • If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
