Terrigal, Australia – As the sun set over the idyllic beach of Terrigal, a sea of mourners clad in white paid tribute to 19-year-old Audrey Griffin, a university student and gifted athlete whose life was tragically cut short. Griffin was murdered on March 23 while returning home from a night out in nearby Gosford, sparking widespread calls for action against the violence targeting women across the nation.
Kathleen Kirby, Griffin’s grieving mother, stood at the gathering on the sandy shores last Thursday, urging those present to witness the sunset in unison as a symbol of communal remembrance and solidarity. “As the sun goes down, I ask you to turn around and watch it together,” Kirby said, addressing the crowd of several thousand.
During the poignant event, friends and relatives dispersed frangipanis across the beach, a tribute to a life brimming with potential, urging community members to press for governmental measures that address the escalating crisis of gender-based violence. Sharon Walsh, chair of the Central Coast Domestic Violence Committee, highlighted the vigil’s dual purpose: comforting the bereaved family and demanding transformative social change. “This kind of event is where the community can show they care, and also call out for the necessary funding and policies to initiate change,” Walsh stated.
The mournful occasion also revealed a grim statistic by Australian Femicide Watch, which listed Griffin as the 22nd woman in Australia to die from violence this year. The broader implications of her untimely death resonate amid the ongoing federal election, where women’s safety and domestic violence have received scant attention from major political parties, despite recent funding declarations aimed at combating domestic violence.
Hours after the vigil, a significant development unfolded as Adrian Torrens, the 53-year-old man charged with Griffin’s murder, was found dead in his cell at Silverwater correctional facility in Sydney. The police have stated that his death is not being treated as suspicious.
The discovery of Griffin’s body near one of the coast’s busiest roads initially led police to treat her death as a tragic accident. She was last seen alive in the early hours of March 23 on The Entrance Road in Erina. Her body was later found partially submerged in Erina Creek. Despite initial forensic and postmortem examinations suggesting no suspicious circumstances, the case radically shifted in response to new evidence. This included CCTV footage and forensic analysis, turning a presumed accident into a homicide investigation culminating in Torrens’ arrest.
In response to her death, the community’s shock and sorrow have been compounded by fear and anger, harnessing social media as a platform for demanding justice and reassurance of their safety. Behind closed doors, conversations murmur about the vulnerability felt particularly by women and girls in the community.
Amidst the collective mourning, a fundraising initiative co-organized by Kirby has amassed over $30,000 to support the family through their ordeal and to cover funeral expenses. Griffin, remembered fondly for her vibrant spirit and kindness, leaves behind a community united in grief and a staunch determination to seek justice and safer futures for all women.
In a nation grappling with the pervasive issue of violence against women, Griffin’s death has become a rallying cry for systemic change — a call that resounded powerfully as the sun set on Terrigal Beach, illuminating the urgent need for action in the fading light.