Ricki Small remembers her daughter Jessica as a teenage girl, with an infectious laugh, and a smattering of freckles.
It's been 21 years since her 15-year-old daughter vanished while trying to hitchhike home from an amusement centre in Bathurst, in central-west New South Wales, in the early hours of October 26, 1997.
"Life has been empty without Jess; the never knowing, never watching her graduate from school, or get married, have children," Ms Small said.
The New South Wales Government has announced a $1 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people involved in the likely murder of Jessica.
Jessica and a female friend got into a white-coloured sedan driven by an unknown man, while trying to hitchhike home.
Police were told the man stopped the car on Hereford Street on the outskirts of town, turned off the headlights and assaulted the girls.
The friend escaped and alerted the police, but Jessica hasn't been seen since.
Investigators say they believe the vehicle travelled towards Hill End, a town north of Bathurst.
A long investigation
A 2014 inquest found Jessica was likely murdered, and a $100,000 reward was offered.
Since then, police have been looking at new leads.
Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Scott Cook, said police believe the small white car used in the abduction was seen in Eglington, just outside Bathurst, at the time.
He said investigators had looked at about 100 vehicles, and they believed the car was possibly stolen, unregistered, and damaged.
Five cars have been forensically examined, and cleared.
Detective Superintendent Cook said it was believed there were people in the local area who knew what happened to Jessica.
"We know there are people close to the people involved in Jessica's kidnapping and murder, and we would encourage them to come forward. There are now a million reasons on the table."
A mother's anguish
Ricki Small said 21 years without her daughter had been heartbreaking, and she thought of Jessica every day.
"I have seven grandchildren, they're all well aware of what happened to their auntie Jessie," Ms Small said.
She said Jessica was a sweet girl.
"She was just a beautiful child, a beautiful teenager."
Ms Small said she hoped and prayed that the increased reward would lead to more information.
"It would really, really help my family to finally find the answers to her disappearance."
