News Service from House Harris

NSW: Father believes missing daughter was taken by cult

SYDNEY, July 10 AAP - The father of a NSW Central Coast woman missing for seven years says he fears that she has joined a cult.

Kylie McKay, now 39, left her home at Green Point, on the NSW Central Coast, on June 25, 2002.

Her husband and two children have not seen her since.

The NSW government on Friday announced a $50,000 reward for information about Ms McKay's whereabouts.

Ms McKay's father, Ken Houlihan, told AAP her family was concerned that she had joined a religious group.

"The family - my wife, my son, Kylie's two sons and I, and the children's father, we all believe that she's out there, maybe in some cult-type situation," Mr Houlihan said.

"We believe that it was fairly well planned and that she was assisted in departing her family situation."

He said his daughter had been suffering depression but he downplayed suggestions she had committed suicide.

"We think that someone may have helped her escape but since then we have no idea," Mr Houlihan said.

"We are not confident that she has not taken her life.

"But who knows what might have happened in seven years?"

If she has suicided the family accepts this, Mr Houlihan said.

"But tell us where the body is because you cannot hide your own body."

Detective Inspector Peter Houlihan - coincidentally a distant relative - welcomed the reward and said the case had hardly advanced since Ms McKay's disappearance.

"We are no closer to finding out exactly where Kylie is or the circumstances surrounding her disappearance," Det Insp Houlihan said.

"All that we know is that she left the home on that particular day and hasn't been seen since.

"I'm very grateful to the government for supplying this $50,000 reward as an incentive.

"Her family are going through a terrible amount of anguish at this point."

Ms McKay is 163cm tall and had shoulder-length brownish blonde hair when she was last seen.

Police have created a computer generated image of how she may now look.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.