Case 83
Chantelle & Leela McDougall, Tony Popic
*** Warning: This case involves a child victim ***
In 2007, 28-year-old Chantelle McDougall told her family she was moving to Brazil for spiritual purposes, along with her daughter Leela, partner Simon Kadwell, and friend Tony Popic. The group packed up their farmhouse in the small Western Australian town of Nannup and vanished, but there was no evidence to confirm they ever left the country.
Chantelle’s family didn’t believe her story. Simon Kadwell was a religious cult leader and the influential Chantelle had been under his spell for years. Mysterious details and suspected sightings begin to emerge, prompting the question of whether the group had faked their own disappearances, enacted a suicide pact or worse.
CREDITS
EPISODE:
Narration – Anonymous Host
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro – www.dl-sounds.com
Audio production – Mike Migas
Scoring – Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo and website design – Paulina Szymanska
RESOURCES
ARTICLES:
Missing Briton may be conman – The Australian
Fate of Australian doomsday internet cult family from Nannup, Western Australia remains mystery – News.com.au
Websites claim to offer fake Australian passports – The Daily Telegraph
Parents seek clues to missing daughter – The West Australian
International hunt for cult ‘guru’ over Nannup family disappearance – WA Today
Human bones uncovered in Nannup – Bunbury Mail
Nannup human remains identified as Victorian man – ABC News
Brazilian search for cult family – The West Australian
Inquest into cult leader Simon Kadwell, Chantelle McDougall and daughter Leela begins – ABC News
Couple died after meeting WA cult leader – SBS News
WA Nannup doomsday cult inquest reveals ‘bizarre, alternative lifestyle’ of missing family – ABC News
Baffling mystery of a cult and a WA family who vanished 10 years ago – Perth Now
Police failed to investigate leads into disappearance of cult leader Simon Kadwell, inquest hears – International Business Times
Perth doomsday cult leader who disappeared may be alive – Express Digest
Brazil travel claims a ‘ruse’, expert tells inquest – Perth Now
Nannup inquest told Brazil plans a “ruse” – The West Australian
Cult leader Simon Kadwell abused ex-girlfriend as she tried to leave, Nannup inquest hears – ABC News
Couple died after meeting WA cult leader – WA Today
Prolonged police investigation finds no trace of missing WA family, inquest told – WA Today
VIDEO:
Chantelle and Leela joined a cult, and then they disappeared – Insight – SBS
Doomsday cult family disappears from Australia
OTHER:
ASN Aircraft Accident description