Case 91

Carly Ryan

*** Content Warning: child victim, child sexual assault, grooming ***

In 2006, Myspace was the biggest social media platform in the world, surpassing Google as the most visited website. Like many teenagers, 14-year-old Carly Ryan turned to the internet to interact with friends and meet new people. It wasn’t long before she struck up a friendship with 18-year-old Brandon Kane, who went by the username ‘KuruptKoala.’ 

Carly was instantly smitten with the Texan-born musician who now lived in Melbourne, an eight-hour drive from her home in the Adelaide Hills. He was everything she’d dreamed of in a boyfriend – a dark and mysterious bad boy with a soft, emotional edge like the rock stars she admired. As Carly’s fifteenth birthday party approached, she didn’t hesitate for a moment to invite Brandon to make the interstate trip.

CREDITS

 

Casefile Presents

 

EPISODE:

Research & writing – Elsha McGill

Additional writing – Milly Raso

Narration – Anonymous Host

 

SPECIAL THANKS:

We would like to add a special thanks credit for Karina Natt and The Carly Ryan Foundation for the help in the creation of this episode.

 

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

 

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RESOURCES

 

WEBSITE

Carly Ryan Foundation

 

APP

THREAD app – free to download

 

ARTICLES

Murdered Carly and mystery man – News.com.au

Carly Ryan seduced and murdered by father and son using fake cyberspace alter-ego named Brandon, court told – The Daily Telegraph

Carly Ryan’s final hours – The Advertiser

Sonya found a paedophile in her daughter’s bed, weeks before her death – MamaMia

Extraordinary scenes at start of Carly Ryan murder trial – The Advertiser

‘Stepdad’ denies sex interest in dead teen – Herald Sun

Identity of Carly Ryan’s killer to remain a secret – Perth Now

Face of Carly Ryan’s killer Garry Francis Newman revealed – Herald Sun

Teen acquitted of Carly Ryan murder ‘deserves second chance’, court hears – The Advertiser

Murderer of Carly Ryan loses challenge against life sentence – The Advertiser

My little girl was killed by an internet predator – Australian Woman’s Weekly

“My daughter was murdered by an online predator. The laws NEED to change” – Kidspot

Mother of murdered teen Carly Ryan still fighting online predators – The Sydney Morning Herald

Ten years after a violent sadist lured Carly Ryan, 15, to her death with a cruel trick her mother wants to warn others – News.com.au

Sonya Ryan: A patchwork quilt hung in Parliament in Carly’s name signifies 10-year wait to strengthen laws against online killers – The Advertiser

 

ADDITIONAL SOURCES

SA Branch Newsletter – Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society

Honor Roll: Sonya Ryan – Australian of the Year Awards

 

VIDEOS

Carly’s Law: preventing online child predators – The Feed

Carly Ryan’s Story – Studio 10

Sonya Ryan on Sunrise

Online Grooming Case Study: Carly’s Story – ThinkUKnowAUS

Improving Online Safety with Sonya Ryan – Know The Risk

Sonya Ryan – South Australian of the Year 2013

 

IMAGES

Carly Ryan Murder Investigation Gallery – Herald Sun

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