The world's WORST babysitter

In the quiet town of Melbourne, the Barber family led a seemingly ordinary life. Michael and Elizabeth, happily married for 20 years, had three daughters – Heather, Ashley Rose, and the star of the family, 15-year-old Rachel, affectionately known as Rachel Starr. The Barbers may have faced financial struggles, but their home was rich in creativity, with Michael being a toy maker and Elizabeth working in children's literature.

Rachel, an exceptionally talented dancer with emerald green eyes and a charismatic aura, faced her share of challenges. Struggling with academics and battling acute fears, she found solace and expression in dance. The turning point came in September 1998 when, supported by her parents, Rachel transitioned to a full-time dance school in Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne.

On a fateful Monday, March 1, 1999, the Barber family's world took a devastating turn. Rachel's routine involved taking a train from Waddle Park to Richmond, where she would meet a friend, have breakfast, and then proceed to her dance school. That day, after her usual goodbye to her father, Michael, Rachel boarded the train, not knowing it would be the last time her family would see her.

The realization of Rachel's disappearance struck Michael when he returned to Waddle Park at 6:15 PM to pick her up, and she was nowhere to be found. Panic set in as he contacted Elizabeth, initiating a series of calls to friends and acquaintances, but none had seen or heard from Rachel. The ominous silence and Rachel's absence were unsettling, especially given her fear of the dark and reluctance to be alone.

As the hours turned into days, the Barber family's desperation grew. The police initially dismissed it as a runaway case, but a crucial lead emerged when a girl named Allison revealed she had seen Rachel on the train with a mystery girl. The mystery girl resembled a police sketch and was identified as Caroline Robertson, a 20-year-old woman and Rachel's former babysitter.

Caroline, living close to the Praran train station, had a connection to Rachel, making her a person of interest. The investigation took a dark turn when a phone trace revealed a private call to the Barber household from Caroline's number on the day before Rachel's disappearance. The puzzle pieces were falling into place, pointing to a secret job and a psychological study offered by Caroline.

The truth, as revealed by Caroline, was beyond comprehension. On February 28, 1999, Caroline lured Rachel into a trap, promising her a lucrative opportunity in a confidential psychology study. The offer was enticing, especially for a teenager like Rachel, who had dreams of affording a pair of coveted blue shoes.

The next day, after school, Rachel met Caroline at the Richmond station, unknowingly stepping into a nightmare. The two took a train to Praran, where they shared a pizza and beer before Caroline initiated a guided meditation. In a shocking turn of events, Caroline drugged Rachel and strangled her with a telephone cord.

Caroline's plan was sinister. She intended to assume Rachel's identity, lose weight, get a nose job, and legally change her name to Rachel Barber. The psychological study was a ruse, a macabre scheme fueled by Caroline's obsession with the girl she used to babysit. The transformation Caroline envisioned involved not just a change in appearance but a complete usurpation of Rachel's life.

After the murder, Caroline rolled Rachel's lifeless body in a carpet, stuffed it into an army duffel bag, and took a taxi to Kilmore, where she buried Rachel in a shallow grave. The police, upon discovering Caroline's unconscious state, initially believed they had stumbled upon a crime scene, but Caroline's seizure revealed the complex and horrifying truth.

Caroline's arrest, trial, and eventual conviction sent shockwaves through the community. In January 2015, after serving 15 years of a 20-year sentence, Caroline Robertson was released, leaving a scar on the Barber family that would never fully heal.

Rachel's funeral, attended by over 850 people, became a poignant moment of remembrance. Letters, poems, toys, and even the blue shoes she longed for accompanied Rachel in her final resting place. The tragedy of Rachel Barber's untimely death left a community grappling with the darkness that can lurk behind seemingly ordinary lives.