Grieving father says hoax call ‘couldn’t have come at a worse time’

A father whose social media post pleading for the return of a phone containing photos of his critically ill daughter went viral says he was shattered by the false hope that their phone had been found.

Jay and Dee Windross left the phone in a Chadstone Shopping Centre bathroom on Easter Saturday.

They were contacted by a blackmailer who said she had the phone, and wanted $1000 in return for its safe return.

But she didn’t have the phone.

The woman accused, 24-year-old Siti Kamal, was in court yesterday and is expected to face the Melbourne Magistrates Court today.

Jay Windross told Neil Mitchell he was devastated by the false message he received.

“Her contacting me saying ‘we’ve got your phone’ couldn’t have come at a worse time,” he said.

“We were just told of the news of Amiyah having quite significant changes in her brain which were obviously irreversible.”

The couple’s baby girl, Amiyah, sadly died last week.

Jay Windross told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell he’s concerned media coverage may be stopping the person with the phone from coming forward.

“We feel that the media coverage and how much it has gone on social media might have frightened someone out of it,” he said.

The grieving couple remain hopeful that the phone will be returned.

The phone is a black Samsung Galaxy S8 with a purple cover on it.

Anyone with information on the phone is urged to contact Jay on 0407 527 513, or call 3AW on 96 900 693 or 13 13 32 (outside Melbourne)

Press PLAY below to hear Jay Windross on 3AW Mornings.