When South Australian exchange student host mother May Zervaas said goodnight to one of the Vietnamese students staying with her last Monday night, she had no reason to suspect anything was out of the ordinary.
But when she checked on 17-year-old Sunnie Nguyen around lunchtime the next day after believing she was sleeping in, Ms Zervaas found the bedroom empty – and the teenager’s backpack, along with her laptop, identification documents and most of the clothes and shoes from her wardrobe, were also gone.
When Ms Zervaas called her host student’s mobile phone number, it had been disconnected. Not long after, it was clear that Ms Nguyen’s social media accounts had been deleted.
Although there is no evidence of forced entry, Mary Zervaas, May’s daughter, has expressed deep concern for the Vietnamese girl’s welfare – especially given her medication remains in her room. Ms Nguyen’s reliance on translation support is another worry, with the student’s English language proficiency described as limited.
Police exploring possible links between missing teenagers
The report of Ms Nguyen’s disappearance to South Australian Police (SAPOL) is not the only mystery surrounding Vietnamese exchange students visiting Adelaide.
SAPOL are currently investigating the disappearance of four Vietnamese exchange students in the past month, including one teen who vanished more than 30 days ago.
Authorities are exploring the possibility that some of the missing teenagers may have travelled interstate, although they are not convinced there is a direct connection between the disappearances.
“I’m just thinking it’s a plan (to leave) because why the shoes is not there? When I open her wardrobe … there’s lots of empty hangers. There’s only four clothes hanging there. She took all the shoes that she had,” Ms Zervaas said.
“I hope she is OK. I’m just worried because her English is not that good.”
Nguyen’s host family told SAPOL that she seemed happy living in Adelaide since arriving at their suburban home in South Plympton – around eight kilometres from the CBD – in July 2023.
Her visa is active for three more years.
No evidence of immediate danger
“I hope that this is a case of, because of school holidays, kids, 17 years old, want to get together to go somewhere and not (tell) anyone,” said Lien Nguyen-Navas, a representative of the SA Vietnamese Women’s Association.
She hoped the missing students contacted their host families soon “to take away their worry”.
A SAPOL spokesman said there was “nothing currently identified in any investigation that would indicate these youths are in immediate danger”.
“All lines of inquiries in the investigations indicate that some of these youths may have travelled interstate and still remain there,” he said. “SA Police are working with interstate policing counterparts to help locate these youths.”
International student program sees hundreds visit SA each year
Ms Nguyen had been studying at Hamilton Secondary College, who advised the girl’s Vietnamese exchange agency of her disappearance.
A spokeswoman from the SA Department for Education said it had been “made aware of a small number of students that left their homestays without permission”.
“In each case, the department has contacted their families and the police immediately,” she said.
In 2023, approximately 430 students were enrolled in South Australian government schools from Vietnam through the Education Department’s international student program.
The program runs in 150 public schools in the state and, the spokeswoman said, has “seen hundreds of students arrive for various periods over the last year, with Vietnamese students being one of the largest cohorts”.
The arrangement includes meeting specific terms and conditions in relation to the participation of the students, agents and homestays, the spokeswoman said.
“Students also have to comply with visa conditions.”
