Cheryl Grimmer's brother has revealed his life-long guilt for leaving the toddler alone for 90 seconds - when she was snatched by a sexual predator and killed.
The three-year-old toddler vanished from outside a surf club at Fairy Meadow Beach in Wollongong, south of Sydney, on January 12, 1970 and her body was never found.
Ricki Nash, who was seven at the time, begged his mother to take the children to the beach for a summer swim, The Australian reported.
An afternoon storm forced Ricki, Stephen, five, Paul, four, and Cheryl from the water and the siblings went to the beachside shower block.
Ricki Nash (centre), who was seven at the time, begged his mother to take the children to the beach for a summer swim
Cheryl Grimmer (right) vanished from outside a surf club at Fairy Meadow Beach in Wollongong, south of Sydney, on January 12 1970 and her body was never found
Mr Nash, who can still see it 'crystal clear', said Cheryl was being her cheeky self and wouldn't leave the female change rooms, despite his requests.
He walked away for 90 seconds to get his mother Carole but when he returned the playful toddler was no where to be seen.
'I just didn't want to go into the ladies' toilets. That's when I made the fatal mistake of leaving and going to get my mother,' Mr Nash said.
He can still remember the 'sheer terror' on his mother's face as the frantic search for Cheryl began.
'I can remember the beatings I copped — the hatred my father had for me because he blamed me for leaving her,' Mr Nash said.
'And he's right: I shouldn't have left.'
Mr Nash (pictured with two brothers), who can still see it 'crystal clear', said Cheryl was being her cheeky self
