MELBOURNE GRANDMOTHER, 73, FOUND IN WATER AFTER FOUR-DAY SEARCH FOLLOWING MORNING WALK
Janet Knight left home for her usual walk in Melbourne’s east, leaving her phone, wallet and Fitbit behind. After days of searching, her family received the heartbreaking news they had feared.
A family in Melbourne is mourning the loss of 73-year-old Janet Knight after she disappeared during a morning walk and was found in water four days later.
Janet left her home in Keilor East on Sunday, October 25, 2026. When she failed to return, concern grew among her loved ones, who knew she had gone out for a familiar walk but had left behind several personal belongings, including her mobile phone, wallet and Fitbit.
Her disappearance prompted a search involving police and members of the community as family and friends waited anxiously for news.
A FAMILIAR ROUTINE THAT ENDED IN HEARTBREAK
Janet was last seen on CCTV along Hoffmans Road at approximately 7:38 a.m. on Sunday, according to reports. Investigators worked to establish her movements after she left home and identify where she might have gone.
The fact that Janet had left her phone and other belongings behind added to her family’s concern. Without those items, it was difficult for loved ones to contact her or use location information to help establish her whereabouts.
As the hours passed, the search continued across Melbourne’s western suburbs.
BODY FOUND NEAR AVONDALE HEIGHTS
On Wednesday, October 28, emergency services located a woman in water near Riviera Road in Avondale Heights. The woman was later formally identified as Janet.
The discovery brought the search to a devastating end for her family, who had been hoping she would be found safe.
Victoria Police said the circumstances surrounding Janet’s dєatᩚh were not being treated as suspicious. Authorities have not publicly established all the details of what happened during her walk.
A FAMILY LEFT TO GRIEVE
For Janet’s loved ones, the loss is especially painful because the day began with a routine she had likely followed many times before.
A morning walk can be an ordinary part of daily life, offering fresh air, movement and a moment of quiet. For Janet’s family, however, that familiar routine has become associated with an absence that cannot easily be explained.
As they grieve, the community’s thoughts remain with those closest to her.
The investigation into the circumstances of Janet’s dєatᩚh remains subject to the findings of authorities. Police have said the dєatᩚh is not being treated as suspicious.
Janet Knight was 73. Her family is now facing the loss of a loved one whose disappearance prompted days of anxious searching and a heartbreaking outcome.
