Twisted Twins: Lynette and Chris Dawson's Daughters Shanelle and Sherryn

Shanelle Dawson

Shanelle Dawson was just four years old when her mother, Lynette, disappeared. Her father, Chris Dawson, a rugby league footballer, only reported Lyn's disappearance six weeks later. Two days after Lyn vanished, the family's teenage babysitter, Joanne Curtis, moved into the house with Chris. Chris later filed for divorce, claiming Lyn had joined a religious commune. In 1984, two years after Lyn's disappearance, Chris married Joanne. Shanelle, in her book "My Mother's Eyes," described this period as very difficult, feeling unloved by Joanne, who she believed didn't want to be her mother. Chris was arrested for Lyn's murder in December 2018, found guilty in December 2022, and sentenced to 24 years in prison.

Sherryn Dawson

Sherryn Dawson was only two years old when her mother was killed. Despite her father's conviction for the murder, Sherryn has remained loyal to him. Shanelle, on the other hand, feels she has been cut out by Sherryn and the rest of the family. Shanelle expressed in Australian Women's Weekly that she feels like the scapegoat but also finds a sense of freedom in being cut out. She understands Sherryn's loyalty to their father, mentioning that her sister believes in his goodness. Shanelle also shared that Chris tried to prevent Joanne from being unkind to them, leading to arguments between them.