I grew up in Adelaide in the early 90s in the aftermath of ‘The Family’ murders. As a small child I remember my Mother talking about the boys who were found on the banks of the Torrens with drill bits found inside their bodies. It used to give me awful nightmares (usually where I would be taken in various nefarious ways from my front yard).
Many people theorised (and almost uncovered) the ring of paedophiles who were supposedly behind the murders but no one was ever arrested as the guilty parties were said to be high ranking members of the clergy and police. The men behind the Family members hid in domesticated environments wielding neighbourhood authority in order to commit some of the most horrific child murders I’ve ever heard of happening in this country. They’ve never been solved. My friend who is in this portrait has a Christopher Robin tattoo on his chest which I also drew for him. This seemed particularly fitting in this work's context.
