Coroner rejects murderer’s claim Tiahleigh Palmer ‘accidentally suffocated’

A coroner has found Queensland schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer likely choked or asphyxiated to death at the hands of her foster father Rick Thorburn, who may also have been sexually abusing her while she was in his care.

Her body was badly decomposed and she was wearing only a pair of torn underpants.

He then dumped her body after his son Trent confessed to his mother Julene and a cousin that he had sex with Tiahleigh and feared she may be pregnant.

On day one of the inquest, Thorburn claimed the schoolgirl stopped breathing while he was “carrying” her up the family’s driveway, following an argument about her refusing to go to bed.

He had been home alone with her at the time.

“I do not accept that Richard Thorburn accidentally killed Tiahleigh. I find that he did so deliberately,” Deputy State Coroner Jane Bentley found.

The coroner found the lack of injuries to Tiahleigh’s body or evidence at the Thorburn home indicated it was “most likely” that Thorbun choked or asphyxiated her.

She found it most probable he killed Tiahleigh because he was worried Trent’s abuse would be revealed, however it was also possible he had abused her himself and was worried that too would be revealed.

In 2016, Thorburn was convicted of sexual offences against two girls, aged four and 11, who were in his wife’s care at the same time Tiahleigh was living at the home.

“He had access to Tiahleigh – his family all gave evidence that he and Tiahleigh would have been alone together,” the coroner found.

Tiahleigh had told her foster mother she “had a secret” in the months before her death and told her that if anybody knew about it, she would be removed from their care.

She noted Thorburn had also refused to explain why Tiahleigh was found wearing only underpants or what had happened to her clothes.

However, she said there was only circumstantial evidence that Thorburn had been sexually offending against Tiahleigh, which meant she must conclude that the most probable reason for the murder was to cover up Trent’s abuse.

The coroner found Thorburn was “completely without remorse” and had not cooperated with the inquest and recommended that be taken into consideration when he becomes eligible for parole in 2036.

She made no recommendations relating to the involvement or any failings by government agencies in Tiahleigh’s case, noting they had been dealt with in numerous reviews, including a broad whole-of-government review of policies and procedures concerning missing children by the Queensland Family and Child Commissioner which made 29 recommendations.

Thorburn’s wife, Julene, served six months in jail for perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Their other son, Joshua, served three months in jail for perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.