"She was my everything": Audrey Griffin's heartbroken mother speaks out
<p>What began as an ordinary night out with friends ended in a tragedy that shattered a family, stunned a community, and prompted a determined mother to fight for answers no one else seemed to be asking.</p>
<p>Audrey Griffin, 19, was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/beloved-aussie-athlete-found-dead-at-just-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found dead in Erina Creek</a> on the Central Coast of New South Wales last month. Her fully clothed body was discovered partially submerged in the water on March 23, just hours after she was reported missing. Initially, police deemed her death non-suspicious, possibly a tragic accident. But her mother, Kathleen Kirby, refused to accept that explanation.</p>
<p>“It’s like you can’t breathe, it’s like you don’t want to breathe,” <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/mother-speaks-of-heartbreaking-loss-after-alleged-murder-of-teen-audrey-griffin-on-nsw-central-coast-c-18457494" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kirby told 7NEWS</a>, speaking publicly through her grief. “But I needed to find the strength because I wasn’t satisfied with what the outcome was, so I kept going.”</p>
<p>Kirby’s instincts proved tragically accurate.</p>
<p>On Monday, NSW Police arrested 53-year-old Adrian Torrens and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/murder-charge-laid-after-death-of-19-year-old-ironwoman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged him with Audrey’s murder</a>. Torrens, who police say had no prior connection to Audrey, is also facing 11 unrelated domestic violence charges. Authorities now allege a violent altercation occurred between the two as Audrey was walking home. Torrens’ lawyer appeared in court on his behalf Tuesday; he did not apply for bail. His case has been adjourned until next month.</p>
<p>Superintendent Darryl Jobson said that while early forensic and post-mortem findings did not initially indicate foul play, the case remained open due to “unusual circumstances”.</p>
<p>“Getting answers for the family was front of mind,” Jobson said. “New information from other sources led us to reconsider and launch a full homicide investigation.”</p>
<p>Kirby, driven by a mother’s intuition and unrelenting love, was at the centre of that push for the truth. “My head and my gut were telling me different,” she said. Now, as police pursue justice, a mother mourns the unimaginable loss of her only child.</p>
<p>“She was more than my world, she was my everything,” Kirby said through tears. “She’s just everything that you’d ever imagine, or want, for a child.”</p>
<p>Audrey was much more than a statistic or a headline. She was a triathlete, a teammate, a leader and a beloved friend. Just weeks before her death, she competed in New Zealand’s ANZCO Foods Half Ironman, finishing 23rd in her age group. She played water polo for Gosford, patrolled beaches with the Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club, took to the field with the Terrigal Sharks, and once served as vice-captain of Central Coast Sports College.</p>
<p>“She touched the hearts of so many people and always had a smile,” one friend wrote on social media. “Her laugh was contagious and her goofy self always made us laugh. Audrey, you are truly loved by so many people.”</p>
<p>Now, those same people are left grieving a life stolen too soon, and honouring a young woman whose courage, kindness and spirit made the world brighter – if only for a short time.</p>
<p>For Kirby, the fight for answers has turned into the deeper, longer journey of navigating life without her daughter. “I will never feel whole again,” she said.</p>
<p><em>Images: 7NEWS</em></p>
