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Tromp daughter found hiding in the back of a ute

Riana Tromp was discovered hiding out in the back of a ute.

Riana Tromp was discovered hiding out in the back of a ute. Photo: Facebook

Questions surrounding the whereabouts of Melbourne man, Mark Tromp, 51, and the circumstances that have led to the hospitalisation of his wife and one of his daughters are baffling authorities.

It has emerged that daughter Riana Tromp, 29, was discovered hiding out in the back of a ute being driven from Goulburn to Canberra. She is now in the care of medical specialists.

Goulburn resident Keith Whittaker told the Goulburn Post he found Riana Tromp in the rear of his dual cab ute as he drove out of town on Tuesday.

“I filled up with petrol and drove off on my way to Canberra for a doctor’s appointment. I got to Lake George when I felt a kick to the back of my seat,” Mr Whittaker said.

“I asked her who she was and if she was all right? She did not know her name and had no idea where she was.”

Police are investigating reported sightings of Mr Tromp in New South Wales and Victoria after a “bizarre” trip that left other members of his family in hospital with stress-related complaints.

Mr Tromp and his family left their home at Silvan, east of Melbourne, on Monday, taking cash but leaving behind bank cards and mobile phones.

Police said there had been two sightings of Mr Tromp since Wednesday, one in Victoria and one in New South Wales, but would not give more precise locations.

Their children, who were initially with the couple, left their parents in the New South Wales central tablelands after they did not want to continue with the holiday.

Mr Tromp and his wife Jacoba Tromp, 53, were then reported missing.

The Tromp’s son, Mitchell Tromp, said his parents were paranoid before they disappeared and were “fleeing something”, describing their behaviour as “like a movie”.

Mark Tromp abandoned the grey Peugeot station wagon the family had been travelling in and fled from police in Wangaratta in north-east Victoria on Wednesday night.

Police searched the area but he was not found.

Tromp's troubled trip

The search continues for Victorian father Mark Tromp missing after an ill-fated family trip to NSW. Illustration: The New Daily

Mrs Tromp was found on Thursday by a member of the public and was taken to a hospital in Yass suffering from stress-related health concerns.

She was transferred to a Goulburn hospital on Friday to be with her daughter, Riana who was hospitalised in Goulburn with stress-related health issues on Tuesday.

Police said the circumstances around the case were unusual and one officer described it as “the most bizarre case in 30 years”.

Mitchell said he and his siblings had to leave the trip because of their parents’ behaviour, which he said was out of character.

He said he wants to see his father return home.

Timeline of the family road trip

Monday, August 29

Jacoba Tromp

Jacoba Tromp was reported missing on Tuesday. Photo: Victoria Police

  • The family of five leave their Silvan redcurrant farm in a grey Peugeot station wagon with a large amount of cash, but bank cards and mobile phones are left behind
  • Heading towards New South Wales, son Mitchell Tromp has his phone thrown out of the car window at Warburton, east of Melbourne

Tuesday, August 30

  • Mitchell leaves the family trip at Bathurst
  • The rest of the family travel to Jenolan Caves in the NSW central tablelands before the two daughters leave their parents at Goulburn
  • Daughter Riana is hospitalised with stress-related health issues at Goulburn
  • Police visit the Tromp family home after Mark and Jacoba are reported missing and find the house unlocked and paperwork everywhere

Wednesday, August 31

  • The family’s car is found in Wangaratta in Victoria’s north-east after police receive a report that it was seen following another car
  • Police pull the car over and a man, believed to be Mark Tromp, runs away into a nearby park
  • The area is searched with sniffer dogs, but he is not found
  • Mitchell and Ella Tromp make their way back to Victoria and arrive to find police at their farm

Thursday, September 1

  • Jacoba Tromp is found and taken by a member of the public to Yass hospital where she is assessed for stress-related health concerns
  • Mitchell and Ella appeal to the public for help to find their father
  • Mitchell said his parents had mounting business pressures and were scared and paranoid when he left them on the trip

Anyone with information has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

– with ABC

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