A man has been charged with the murder of a teenage girl, more than a month after her body was found in a creek – despite police initially stating her death wasn’t suspicious.
The partially-submerged body of Audrey Griffin, 19, was found in Erina Creek on the NSW Central Coast on March 24, a day after she was last seen leaving a nearby pub following a night out with friends.
Her death wasn’t deemed as suspicious at the time as a preliminary autopsy had initially suggested Ms Griffin had drowned.
However, after further investigations, police charged 53-year-old Adrian Torrens with murder in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills on Monday afternoon.
‘Police will allege the man had a physical altercation with the victim,’ a police statement read.
Torrens was also charged with 11 unrelated domestic violence offences.
He was refused bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday.
It’s understood Ms Griffins and Torrens were not known to each other.
The breakthrough emerged just days after police released an image of a man they wished to speak to in relation to Ms Griffin’s death.
Police reiterated at the time that it was not believed the man was involved in her death.
‘We are not implicating that this man was somehow involved in the incident, we have no indication of that,’ Brisbane Water Detective Acting Inspector Samantha Richards said.
‘We’re simply hoping he might have some information to help us piece together what has happened.’
Ms Griffin was a much-loved member of the Terrigal Sharks rugby league and local life saving clubs.
After completing her HSC in 2023, Ms Griffin juggled training and a part-time job at Crown Plaza Terrigal along with study commitments at University of Technology Sydney.
Just weeks before her death, she’d competed in the New Zealand half-ironman.
Ms Griffin was also a former member for Gosford Water Polo’s ladies third division team.
‘Audrey touched everyone, not just in her community but all over the country. She was the light in many of our lives,’ a family statement on a GoFundMe read.
‘There is no doubt she brought endless laughter and joy to everyone.
‘She was the kindest soul to walk this earth and will always be in our hearts.’
Ms Griffin was also a dedicated member of the Terrigal Wamberal Sharks rugby league club, having played junior and senior football.
‘With a larger-than-life personality, and happy-go-lucky nature, Audrey would hit with sting then check that they were OK, and then skip to each of the scrums,’ the club said in a social media tribute to her.
‘Audrey will be sorely missed by the Sharks family, may she rest in peace.’