Victoria Police confirm the body of the missing Keilor East grandmother was discovered in waters near Avondale Heights, three days after she vanished. Janet, who lived with a rare form of dementia, had left home without her phone, wallet or Fitbit. Police say her death is not being treated as suspicious.
A Melbourne family’s desperate search for a missing grandmother has ended in tragedy after 73-year-old Janet Knight was found dead in Melbourne’s north-west.
Victoria Police confirmed on Wednesday, October 28, that a body discovered in waters off Riviera Road in Avondale Heights had been identified as the missing Keilor East woman.
Janet disappeared on Sunday morning after leaving her home for a walk. Her disappearance prompted a major search involving police, family members and the wider community.
Authorities have confirmed that her death is not being treated as suspicious.
The circumstances surrounding her death have not been fully detailed publicly.
A familiar morning walk that ended in tragedy
Janet left her home on Steele Creek Drive in Keilor East at approximately 6:57am on Sunday, October 25.
Security camera footage later captured her walking north along Hoffmans Road towards Keilor Road in Niddrie at about 7:38am.
She was wearing a black hooded jacket, dark trousers and a light-blue beanie, and was carrying a plastic shopping bag.
The footage became an important part of the police appeal as investigators attempted to establish her movements.
Janet was known to enjoy walking and regularly visited familiar paths around Steele Creek Trail and the Maribyrnong area.
Despite her dementia diagnosis, family members described her as physically active and familiar with her local surroundings.
However, her disappearance immediately raised concerns because she had left behind several personal belongings she would normally carry.
Family raised the alarm after finding belongings at home
Janet’s daughter, Nicole Knight, became concerned when she visited her mother’s home and received no response.
Inside, she discovered that Janet’s mobile phone, wallet and Fitbit had been left behind.
For a woman who regularly went walking, the absence of those belongings was particularly unusual.
Nicole told reporters that her mother’s disappearance was completely out of character.
Janet had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of dementia that primarily affected her ability to communicate.
According to Nicole, her mother could often understand what she wanted to say but struggled to express herself verbally.
The family feared that if Janet became disoriented or needed assistance, she might have difficulty explaining her situation to other people.
As the search continued, Nicole and her brother Chris made an emotional public appeal for information that could help bring their mother home.
Their message reflected the uncertainty and distress experienced by a family waiting for news of a loved one.
Police concerned about cold weather and nearby waterways
During the search, Victoria Police expressed concern about the cold, wet and windy conditions affecting Melbourne.
Investigators also considered the possibility that heavy rainfall had affected walking tracks near Steele Creek and the Maribyrnong River.
Acting Inspector Bonnie Heazlewood said police were particularly concerned about Janet’s welfare because of her medical condition and the weather.
Authorities appealed to residents in Keilor East, Niddrie and surrounding suburbs to review CCTV and dashcam recordings for possible sightings.
The search focused on establishing where Janet had travelled after her last confirmed appearance on security camera footage.
The location where her body was eventually discovered, near Riviera Road in Avondale Heights, is several kilometres from her home.
Although police had expressed concerns about local waterways during the search, authorities have not publicly established that flooding or weather conditions caused her death.
Victoria Police confirm tragic discovery
On Wednesday afternoon, police confirmed that the body found in the waters near Riviera Road was Janet Knight.
The confirmation brought an end to the public search that had begun three days earlier.
Police stated that the death was not being treated as suspicious.
In a statement, Victoria Police thanked the media for helping circulate information about Janet’s disappearance and expressed sympathy for her family.
No further details about the cause of death were provided in the initial announcement.
The discovery has brought a heartbreaking conclusion to a search that had drawn attention across Melbourne.
A family’s loss and a community’s concern
Janet’s disappearance attracted widespread public attention as her family and police sought assistance in locating her.
Her story also highlighted the particular difficulties that can arise when a person living with dementia goes missing.
Conditions affecting communication, memory or spatial awareness may make it harder for someone to explain that they need help, even in familiar surroundings.
Every person’s experience of dementia is different, and a diagnosis alone does not explain the circumstances of an individual disappearance.
For Janet’s family, the immediate concern throughout the search was simply to find her safely.
The discovery of her body has now transformed that hope into grief.
What began as an ordinary Sunday morning walk ended in a tragedy for a Melbourne family. Janet Knight’s death leaves her loved ones mourning a mother and grandmother whose disappearance prompted an outpouring of concern and support.
Victoria Police have extended their condolences to the family during this difficult time.
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