The Tromp Family Disappearance... and Reappearance

In 2016, an Australian family inexplicably left their home, leaving everything except a pile of cash behind. Eventually, they were all found one by one but the reason they decided to run away remains unknown...

[Andronicus]

I think its pretty simple- one person had a psychotic episode, and were so frightened that this initially convinced the family that they were in real danger.

[Solararisa]

Mold actually CAN make people hallucinate. It could very well be possible that the family members had been exposed to it for a long time and came to their senses after they left the house.

[McTaco]

He leaves because he fears people are coming after him thus triggering a national manhunt.

[ElSantoLuchador]

I think it started out as 'group psychosis' only in that the father was able to convince the family that he was in some kind of danger and they needed to leave immediately. They bought in at first but as things progressed they began to peel off one by one as they began to realize dad was completely delusional. I can't explain the fugue and catatonic states of the mother and daughter, but I can't think of anything else that would result in those states either.

[smitxp]

The way sister looked at brother during the interview looks like she was signalling "are you seriously telling them ?" They definitely are hiding truth

[elliebellie]

Isolation, loneliness, exhaustion (from working the farm and rehabbing the house) can mess with your mind. Dad may have been delusional but the kids might have thought they were just going for a ride in the car when dad suddenly became very weird and they didn't know how to respond. I hope after rest and everything else the family are now back home and doing well.

[ct]

I completely accept the shared psychosis explanation. Not only is it a proven phenomenon, there are also some suggestions that there might be a genetic predisposition to such a thing, so having it happen in a family isn't so surprising. In historical examples there was also far less genetic diversity among rural communities in which these things happened, so that also supports the possibility that there's a potential genetic link. I'm glad they're all safe and I hope they're doing well. It's nothing to be ashamed about, mental health is an important topic that all should be free to discuss without stigma. Sharing personal experiences also helps us to learn, and makes it far easier to deal with.

[igitha..._]

3:26 For those with neurological conditions such as epilepsy, there are flashing lights at this time stamp.

[rebeccab]

There is something awful about having a psychotic paranoid episode - and it becoming a media spectacle.

[MoonsInRetrograde]

If they were doing home renovations they could have had a long term exposure to some kind of toxin... likely from older materials that were being torn out. Chemicals and toxins over time can really affect the brain in bizarre ways. Neurotoxicity can absolutely cause memory issues as well as behavioural issues.

[stormobsession]

Perhaps this is just what happens in regional/rural Australia. Our town had a recent case of a mother collaborating with her son to murder her other son with special needs, but when they were caught they were assessed to be of sound mind and it seems to have been a moment of psychosis that led them to murder the child. It really shook the community because we'd seen them around and she seemed like a very loving and kind mother to the child she murdered.

[matrixiekitty]

Delusion and psychosis seems terrifying, it must feel horrific to be so scared or feel so out of control that you push yourself to do dangerous and irrational things.

[RequestAssassin]

Is it possible that they were exposed to Ergot Fungus, being farmers and workaholics they could have been exposed to the fungus in different degrees leading to different levels of delusions and why some members came to sooner than others.

[KangKoopa]

I can tell you work hard on your videos and it really shows. Really enjoy watching your content! This is basically the modern-day "unsolved mystery" legit cinematic experience.

[yevettebamber]

This is a heck of a story. Maybe the family is not sure themselves what happened.

[jamescameron]

So nice that you're back to making videos. Have watched all of your investigations numerous times together with my friends and it's always a joy when anything new comes out. Keep up the good work!

[caitybug]

I adore your content. I cannot elaborate how grateful I am to have found a channel that covers strange incidents with a calming voice! Finally man

[agakor]

Australians are so chill, they'll just find someone stuffed into the trunk of their car and just ask them if they're fine without freaking out

[profhortsunlover]

i've seen paranoid schizophrenia up close and personal, it's very complicated, and a psychotic break can happen to anyone if they are driven to it / cornered
full recovery is possible as long as the triggers are gone

[Bergen]

I actually agree with people here - I think one of them (the father) had an actual acute psychosis and "convinced" them to follow him. I think people don't realize that not everyone can just NOT believe their family member - especially if you are very close one