Mother Pleads - Find Son's Body

The Age

Thursday April 27, 1995

Victoria Gurvich

Last April, Cheryl Harris's son, Trent, went canoeing at Bonnie Doon, Lake Eildon, and according to coronial investigations, drowned after the boat became unbalanced and took on water.

Trent's body has not been recovered and Mrs Harris has pleaded for a search team to retrieve it so she can give her son a funeral.

Mrs Harris has contacted the Minister for Natural Resources, Mr Coleman, and the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Mr McNamara, to help her find her son's body.

So far, she has only received letters saying that searching a large section of the lake would be impossible. But Mrs Harris says now is a good time for a search: ``Bonnie Doon is extremely low. It's so dry you can walk into it."

In a final effort to find her son's body, Mrs Harris phoned 3AW yesterday to ask the Premier, Mr Kennett, to help her.

According to coronial reports, Trent and a friend took a canoe on to the lake.

When trouble struck, Trent's friend swam to shore to raise the alarm. Trent stayed with the canoe and was not seen again.

Trent, who was in Year 10 last year, was the youngest of three children.

© 1995 The Age

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