'Uncrackable' computer key to finding Marie

A computer may hold the key to the disappearance of 15-year-old Christchurch girl Marie Davis.

A specialist police team is examining the contents of Marie's computer, including trawling through websites she has visited and emails.

Janet Davis said her daughter would spend "hours and hours" on her computer.

"She told me about two weeks ago the password on the computer is uncrackable."

Davis did not monitor her daughter's internet use because she considered her responsible at 15, but was shocked when she saw Marie's Bebo page recently. It had included details such as her name, age and school.

Davis said she told her daughter, who has been missing for a week, to change it.

She said Marie had played down her fears about providing personal information.

The Press has found three Bebo website pages created by Marie -- one of them blocked to users not listed as friends -- which show pictures of Marie, favourite bands and lists of friends.

Friends have been posting messages on her sites asking that she come back safely, as well as talking about her disappearance on their own social networking sites, spreading the 0800 FIND MARIE helpline number.

The operation manager for the internet safety group Netsafe, Lee Chisholm, said while parents and caregivers were concerned mostly with sexual predators on the internet, research showed young people were more concerned about cyber-bullying.

"There's quite a high resiliency amongst young people about dealing with unwanted contacts anywhere on the technology -- not just social networking sites. People meet others through games, online dating sites and so on. But, actually, young people are quite good at monitoring each other and their peers, saying `That sounds dodgy -- don't go there, or block that person'.

"At the same time, there are vulnerable people who can be targets for cyber-bullying or for people who may wish to do them harm. It certainly exists."

Marie, a student at Papanui High School, was last seen on Saturday when a friend's mother dropped her at home at 6pm.

Janet Davis said at a press conference yesterday she was seriously concerned for her daughter's safety, and believed another person was involved in her disappearance and that she was being held against her will.

"I cannot say what I am thinking without cracking up.

"I just fear the worst, because it's day six."

Police were following up reported sightings -- including a girl fitting Marie's description visiting Christchurch Hospital.

However, Detective Senior Sergeant Virginia Le Bas said the girl was not Marie.

 

- © Fairfax NZ News