It has been 25 years since 2-year-old Amber-Lee Cruickshank disappeared from Kingston on the shore of Lake Wakatipu. Initially she was presumed drown but quickly police and her mother Nicola suspected something far more sinister happened to the little blonde girl. Video / Mike Scott
• No one has been ruled out of Amber-Lee's disappearance • But one person at top of suspect list • He was 14 when the toddler vanished • We tracked him down and asked him if he killed her
The day Amber-Lee Cruickshank went missing she was at Kingston with her family.
Theywere on their way to the West Coast to start a new life - away from the drugs, gangs and trouble they had been involved in until then.
They stopped in at the small town on the southern edge of Lake Wakatipu to see friends.
In episode five of Chasing Ghosts, a new podcast released by the Herald this week, we tracked him down and for the first time, he spoke about that day.
Damian Angus is now in his 40s, a father of three and living in Southland.
Chasing Ghosts is a six-part podcast series examining the 25-year-old cold case.
Amber-Lee vanished on October 17, 1992 at Kingston.
She was there with her mother Nicola Cruickshank, stepfather James Gill And baby brother Danny.
Despite exhaustive searches of the lake, town and surrounding bush, there has never been any sign of Amber-Lee.
Chasing Ghosts is the first serialised podcast produced by NZME and was released this week.
Comprising of six episodes, it tells the story of Amber-Lee, what happened to her that day at Kingston and how her disappearance impacted on her family.
In episode five we explain why Angus is a suspect, why he cannot be ruled out - and what he has to say for himself about Amber-Lee.
Detective Sergeant John Kean said Angus was one of a few people of interest - but there was no evidence to support any theory that he had taken or harmed Amber-Lee at this stage.
Chasing Ghosts tells Amber-Lee's story in unflinching and enormous detail. It was researched and written by senior crime reporter Anna Leask.
Visual journalist Mike Scott did the field recording and produced the mini-documentary.
Leask said the project aims to bring fresh attention to case in the hope that someone comes forward with information that could help bring Amber-Lee home.
"At the very least, I wanted to make sure everyone knew about Amber-Lee and what happened to her, dispel some of the myths around the case and hopefully encourage the people with answers to come forward."
Amber-Lee Cruickshank as a baby. Photograph / Mike Scott
Leask And Scott had unprecedented access to Amber-Lee's mother, Nicola Cruickshank, and others closely connected to the case.
Help bring Amber-Lee home
If you know what happened to Amber-Lee, or have information you have never shared with police that could help the investigation - please come forward.
Contact Detective Sergeant John Kean at the Invercargill police on 021 191 5321 or email john.kean@police.govt.nz.
To pass on information anonymously, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or fill out their online form here.
This service is completely confidential and you do not have to reveal your identity. Police have no way of tracing who passes on tips to Crimestoppers. You can also email anna.leask@nzherald.co.nz.
