The daughter of a mother-of-two found dead in a river has issued a public appeal for answers.
The body of Crystal Beale, 49, was discovered in the Brisbane River in Yeronga by a rower in the early hours of February 22.
Police initially treated her death as not suspicious but have since launched a homicide investigation following further inquiries and a post mortem.
Her shattered daughter Charlie-Rose Wagner, 22, described the development in the case as ‘horrific’ as she took to social media on Wednesday.
‘At first we were assured that her death was non suspicious, this has now taken a horrific turn and I will never be the same again,’ she wrote.
‘I urge anyone who knows anything to please contact the police with information.
‘Help me bring my mum to peace.’
Ms Wagner described her mother as ‘her greatest love’ and said she was ‘adored by many, loved by even more’.
Police have launched a homicide investigation into Crystal Beale’s (pictured) death despite previously believing the death to have been non-suspicious
Ms Beale’s daughter (right) said she will ‘never be the same again’ following her mother’s death
CCTV released by police captured Ms Beale outside a restaurant where she dined with family 21 hours before she went missing
‘I remember you only as the beautiful, selfless woman that you were and nothing else,’ she wrote in an earlier post.
‘The most important woman that I’ve ever known, I would choose you to be my mummy again in every single life.
‘You’re not here but I feel your presence all around me.’
Ms Beale also had a 15-year-old son.
Police on Wednesday also released CCTV of Ms Beale outside a Sunnybank restaurant in Brisbane‘s south where she dined with family and friends on February 21 just hours before she went missing.
Detectives are trying to piece together what happened after she was later dropped off in West End in Brisbane’s inner-south where her family lives.
Police believe Ms Beale had been in the river for about six hours.
‘A post mortem has not determined a cause of death but we don’t believe she has died under natural circumstances,’ Detective Acting Inspector Rod Watts said on Wednesday.
Crystal Beale was captured on CCTV outside a Sunnybank restaurant in Brisbane ‘s south where she dined with family and friends on February 21 just hours before she went missing
Charlie-Rose Wagner described her mother Crystal Beale (pictured) as her ‘greatest love’
‘The injuries that have been uncovered in the postmortem suggest to us her death is suspicious.’
There was no suggestion a weapon was used, Det Insp Watts said.
He added that Ms Beale was with a former partner before she went missing.
‘He is one of a number of lines of inquiry we’re following through,’ he said.
There was an expired domestic violence order against her former partner but nothing current.
No arrests or charges have been laid over Ms Beale’s death and police have not ruled out whether it was a random attack.
Police are appealing for anyone in the area between 9.30pm and 1am on those dates to contact officers if they saw Ms Beale or any suspicious behaviour.
‘We can’t quite accurately identify where she was last seen or how or where she went into the river,’ Det Insp Watts said.
Police described a former partner of Ms Beale’s as ‘one of a number of lines of inquiry’
Ms Beale was wearing a long slim-fitting white dress and had a brown leather shoulder satchel across her body before she went missing.
She is described as Caucasian, slim build, about 165cm tall, with long brown hair.
‘Crystal was a much-loved mother and friend, her death in these circumstances is horrific and we are seeking justice for her and her family,’ Det Insp Watts said.
He said her two children were ‘struggling’ with their mother’s traumatic death.
‘To go missing in these circumstances and for three weeks trying to piece it together… at this point of time we’re still seeking answers,’ he said.
‘They want answers.’
