Finding into death of Veronica Norah Cheney

43y · Female·undetermined

Veronica Cheney disappeared on 1 March 1945 at age 43 from Melbourne. She had a significant psychiatric history including hospitalisation for psychosis and auditory hallucinations at Royal Park and Mont Park asylums in 1936-1938, with a recurrence requiring admission in July 1944 and discharge in November 1944. Initial 1945 police investigations were extensive but unsuccessful. In 2022, renewed investigation including DNA analysis found no evidence of life. The coroner concluded she died on or after 1 March 1945 from an undetermined cause, noting her mental health history and prior disappearance. This case highlights gaps in historical police record management and the value of modern DNA technology in cold missing persons cases, though ultimately the cause and circumstances remain unknown.