
Next day, Sunday, she seemed in her usual health and spirits, and in fact brighter than usual. She retired to bed at about 10 p.m. When Lloyd arose next morning his niece was nowhere to be found. He then made a search in the neighborhood and found no trace of her, and reported the matter to Constable Purcell, of Greta, who at once instituted inquiries. A black tracker from Benalla was sent out on Wednesday, and during the afternoon of that day tracks of the girl were picked up, and followed along the Fifteen Mile Creek to a deep lagoon two miles from her residence, where the tracks ended.
The tracker pointed to the waterhole and said, “She in there.” Next day the body was recovered. The girl left a letter behind addressed to her brother, Jas. Skillion, in which she bade him good-bye, stating that she was going on a long journey. She told him that he
could have certain property of hers, and advised him to avoid bad company. No marks of violence were found on the body, nor were there any traces of a struggle near the lagoon. A verdict that deceased committed suicide by drowning was returned.
Deceased was a daughter of the late Mrs Skillion, whose husband is said to have started the first trouble which led to Ned Kelly and his confederates beginning the lawlessness which culminated in their downfall as bushrangers at Glenrowan.