Australia - Tiahleigh Palmer, 12, slain, Pimpama River, Qld, 30 Oct 2015 #2 *Arrests*

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catswhiskers

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Police have formally identified a body found on the northern Gold Coast on Thursday as missing 12-year-old schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer.

Tiahleigh, from Logan City, had not been seen since leaving her Marsden school last Friday.

Her remains were found on the banks of the Pimpama River, about 40 metres north of the bridge near Kerkin Road North, by fishermen just after 5:00pm on Thursday.

Body Found at Pimpama River identified as missing schoolgirl Tiahleiah Palmer - ABC News

Thread #1
 
Little girl lost: On the trail of Tiahleigh Palmer’s killer
SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

e2ef7cb07f0fa54521317d707b6aba54



For nearly 11 months, detectives investigating the murder of 12-year-old Brisbane schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer told one story of her disappearance publicly.

Privately, they’ve suspected, for at least six of those months, that none of it was true.
As they worked, squirrel-like, behind the scenes, gathering the evidence that would prove what they now allege, they continued to tell it.

It gave them the time they needed to ensure their case was solid. It had to be.
Because who ever would have thought the salt-of-the-earth man who opened his idyllic rural home to a disadvantaged 12-year-old girl would be charged with murder?
And who ever would have thought the rest of his family — the seemingly good-hearted foster mother and her two adult sons, who also welcomed Tiahleigh into their lives — would be charged with allegedly covering up the heinous crime?

http://www.news.com.au/national/que...r/news-story/ff2d1805c743f1d1cf99d8ef6fec8d83
 
Hi All - I've finally caught up with all you speedy sleuthers - thankyou.

I been mulling it all over and 2 main issues have struck me:

First is the terminology issue. I too, like others, was appalled by the use of the terminology in charges that seemed to diminish the heinous treatment of Tiahleigh. However, I've come to accept that it is legal terminology which, for better or worse, has been judged as "appropriate" for the moment. Personally, I see it as rape of a pubescent child - but, how I see it is not important. I have faith that the QLD police will throw the most serious charges with the most serious consequences at the perpetrators.

Second is the eternal issue of foster care. I can't see a solution. As we know, child-abusers come in all types - youth group leaders, ministers of religion, teachers, the friendly neighbour next door, or even the father of the kids your kids play with. All blue cards can do is say that the holder has not been caught yet. I can't for the life of me think of a sufficiently thorough way of assessing potential youth workers or foster carers. I've had some contact with DOCS in another state. I was an unofficial "big sister" to a young woman with 3 kids,each with a different foster carer. I became a DOCS contact person for her. My experience with the DOCS system was poor. The workers individually seemed fine as people doing a very difficult job with a challenging mother/client. However, overall the approach was inexperienced, uninformed, inconsistent, and lacked planning and coordination.

I've also had insider reports that DOCS QLD also has a reputation of buck passing and blaming instead of problem solving - probably much like other government departments.
 
Yes I agree with you ,the foster carers had blue cards and it afforded Tiah no protection at all. In order to get said blue card both Rick and Julene must have had unblemished records. I keep wondering about that. The attacks on the two children in the daycare don't make much sense. In Ricks eyes he had got away with what he did to Tiah so why upset the apple cart?

i keep wondering about the warning on Facebook to 'be careful' posted to the girl with Trent. Was he known for predatory behaviour? I keep wondering that it was Trent that Tiahleigh reported touched her - not Rick. I keep wondering about the police prosecutor who said Trent should not have bail because he would try and tamper with witnesses. And Rick in jail who hasn't yet spoken. What is going on I don't know but when Rick decides to talk there could be a different tale.
 
On the previous thread, Trooper said:

there is something intrinsically depleted about this family. Nothing is normal. Nothing makes sense.

That's so true. Even their own so aptly named food truck advertises it: Nothing healthy here

r403_265_5034_3191_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
 
I was led to believe that the incest charge had a heavier penalty than what they could charge him with otherwise, not sure if it is true or not.

I think maybe the trouble with foster care is that to do it is to open your life to a certain amount of chaos and lack of control, which is 100% not the fault of the kids but the reality of behaviour problems from the homes they are taken from, dealing with the system and so on. Some very selfless and strong people do it and step up in all the ways that we would want them to. Unfortunately it probably also means carers with less than stable lives have a lower "cost of entry" to becoming foster carers because their lives are already marred by dysfunction. I have no idea how we get more quality foster carers. Perhaps a high level of training and paying people well to staff very small group homes is the best option.
 
"Murdered school girl Tiahleigh Palmer's foster dad documented his efforts to find her on Facebook in the days after she went missing.

Driving the streets in search of Tiahleigh, murder accused Rick Thorburn documented his every move on a local crime watch Facebook page, according to the Courier Mail.

Littering Facebook with posts, Rick Thorburn pleaded for information about the whereabouts of his 12-year-old foster daughter, even suggesting others were 'hiding her again'. "

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...n-documented-efforts-schoolgirl-Facebook.html
 
It's all coming out now....

"The man who is accused of murdering schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer is facing nine additional charges relating to two young girls.

Rick Thorburn, 56, first came to police attention in April this year after a complaint was made against him regarding his conduct with a 4-year-old and an 11-year-old girl.

He was subsequently charged with nine offences relating to both children by the Queensland police."

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...tice-for-daughters-murder#usBP4dVoYA5mb3Ai.99
 
Blue Card can be used as licence to offend, says child protection expert

"THE head of the state’s peak child protection group has slammed an over-reliance on the Blue Card system, warning it can be used as a licence to offend.

PeakCare Queensland executive director Lindsay Wegener said the scheme was seriously limited because it could only screen out people with a history of offending.

“If I had not been caught, the first thing I would do is get a Blue Card,’’ he said.

In the wake of charges against the foster family of murdered 12-year-old Tiahleigh Palmer, Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman has announced the Queensland Family and Child Commission will conduct reviews of the assessment and approval processes for foster carers and Blue Card holders."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/na...t/news-story/de32412f2f899db12cec4e27e5d17752
 
Blue Card can be used as licence to offend, says child protection expert

"THE head of the state’s peak child protection group has slammed an over-reliance on the Blue Card system, warning it can be used as a licence to offend.

PeakCare Queensland executive director Lindsay Wegener said the scheme was seriously limited because it could only screen out people with a history of offending.

“If I had not been caught, the first thing I would do is get a Blue Card,’’ he said.

In the wake of charges against the foster family of murdered 12-year-old Tiahleigh Palmer, Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman has announced the Queensland Family and Child Commission will conduct reviews of the assessment and approval processes for foster carers and Blue Card holders."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/na...t/news-story/de32412f2f899db12cec4e27e5d17752

In Qld (not sure about nationally) workers working with kids have to have a BlueCard and also a police check. The police check is to show all/any offences/charges for that person during their lifetime. Not sure what would have been on RT and JT police check file (if one was completed)....
 
I wonder if Tiah's meeting with the "worker" that day was the catalyst for the murder? Pregnancy would be an extremely plausible motive but except for Trent's message to his cousin, there's nothing to corroborate the idea that Tiah was pregnant or thought she was pregnant. So I suspect that Trent saying that might have been a way to sound like one of the lads to his cousin.
But Tiah's mother was in a more stable place (as far as I can tell) - the reason Tiah went into care was because the mother had been in jail but she was out again, and I saw on one of the early discussion boards, she had a small child and was pregnant (?) So it seems like she had a home for Tiah, and Tiah was getting restless in her foster home. What if the meeting that day was with someone called in to assess the situation? It might have been a periodic assessment or follow-up but Tiah was a loose cannon who could drag down the family's livelihood and access to vulnerable young girls.
Young sex victims are usually chosen because they are the characteristic type to remain silent and intimidated. In all Tiah's photos she looks happy and confident so whatever mistakes her mum made, she did raise a resilient girl. Even if the family had successfully managed to keep Tiah silent so far, maybe they saw that she wasn't the type to keep quiet indefinitely. She was making waves and she was starting to see options to leave their home.

MOO
 
"Murdered school girl Tiahleigh Palmer's foster dad documented his efforts to find her on Facebook in the days after she went missing.

Driving the streets in search of Tiahleigh, murder accused Rick Thorburn documented his every move on a local crime watch Facebook page, according to the Courier Mail.

Littering Facebook with posts, Rick Thorburn pleaded for information about the whereabouts of his 12-year-old foster daughter, even suggesting others were 'hiding her again'. "

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...n-documented-efforts-schoolgirl-Facebook.html

I thought it most likely that Tia's murder was an unplanned spontaneous event..now I doubt that. .. or else Thorburn is the consummate actor and cynic.. there is something so calculated in this entire venture, the driving of the car to the school the next day.. and let's face it, that is only a few hours after he has murdered her, either alone or with Trent, , and taken her body out in that same car to the river, alone or with Trent, and cleaned up the car after, and the area in the house , alone, or with Trent. Then a short break while he has breakfast, and does a few chores, he has to time his performance to the second.. neither too late, nor too early.

In Psychology, he now has to enter an entirely concocted way of life. Without any rehearsal, or previous experience as far as is known, he and Julene and Trent and Josh have to play the designated parts of baffled and grieving foster father, fostermother, fosterbrother. Instantly, and done against all their own inner knowledge.

And it's got to be right. When that call comes, which his psyche is expecting, and his logic mind has to pretend it's unexpected, he has to react exactly right, exactly perfect, he has to do and say what a foster father of a missing child would do and say. So what would a frantic foster father do? he would begin searching, but what would a guilty foster father do who knew this child's body was decomposing on the banks of the Pimpano River?.. he would document every move he made in regard to the search.. where he went, what time, who with, which direction, so being a man caught up in two 'realities'.. he does both. Searches, and records his own search efforts.

What else would a frantic fosterfather do?. he would beg anyone , everyone to try and remember and think when they saw Tia, or know anything about Tia, and what a terrific private powerful thrill to take it up a notch and allow his pretend foster father to get a bit indignant. 'send her back.. back to where she belongs.'.... playing the part of the hard done by ordinary guy...

All the time he's doing this he has to maintain not only his own parallel worlds, but his wife's , and his sons. It astonishes me that the entire 4 of them entered into this double performance.. in public, portraying themselves as unfortunate grieving carers,.. in private, what?.. 1 murderer/liar, 1 sexual deviant / liar , 1 perverted liar, and another perverted liar?.. how did that work out when the front door closed on that house?

And so far, it's just the tip of the iceberg, I reckon. no one can do all this without a lifetimes practice, truly. I don't believe that he , and they, suddenly knew what to do. ... that out of the blue , in response to a murder done in the house they eat and sleep in, they produced this flawless performance.. Its been a long time coming.

my opinion.
 
Trooper I thoroughly agree! This crime was well thought out executed and there appeared to be no breaches, I mean we have 4 people involved here and still no one was caught out by the LE or anyone else. They were a tight well oiled unit. They must have had huge discussions behind closed doors. RT had to be the one orchestrating the performance and the others were role playing. There is only so much stress someone could stand coming from a situation like this, it is amazing to me that they didn't crack or cracks didn't show. Seriously, I do wonder what kind of hold RT had on them - almost kind of Stockholm Syndrome like for his sons - probably not so much for his long serving wife and co conspirator.
as you say:
I thought it most likely that Tia's murder was an unplanned spontaneous event..now I doubt that. .. or else Thorburn is the consummate actor and cynic.. there is something so calculated in this entire venture, the driving of the car to the school the next day.. and let's face it, that is only a few hours after he has murdered her, either alone or with Trent, , and taken her body out in that same car to the river, alone or with Trent, and cleaned up the car after, and the area in the house , alone, or with Trent. Then a short break while he has breakfast, and does a few chores, he has to time his performance to the second.. neither too late, nor too early.

In Psychology, he now has to enter an entirely concocted way of life. Without any rehearsal, or previous experience as far as is known, he and Julene and Trent and Josh have to play the designated parts of baffled and grieving foster father, fostermother, fosterbrother. Instantly, and done against all their own inner knowledge.

And it's got to be right. When that call comes, which his psyche is expecting, and his logic mind has to pretend it's unexpected, he has to react exactly right, exactly perfect, he has to do and say what a foster father of a missing child would do and say. So what would a frantic foster father do? he would begin searching, but what would a guilty foster father do who knew this child's body was decomposing on the banks of the Pimpano River?.. he would document every move he made in regard to the search.. where he went, what time, who with, which direction, so being a man caught up in two 'realities'.. he does both. Searches, and records his own search efforts.

What else would a frantic fosterfather do?. he would beg anyone , everyone to try and remember and think when they saw Tia, or know anything about Tia, and what a terrific private powerful thrill to take it up a notch and allow his pretend foster father to get a bit indignant. 'send her back.. back to where she belongs.'.... playing the part of the hard done by ordinary guy...


All the time he's doing this he has to maintain not only his own parallel worlds, but his wife's , and his sons. It astonishes me that the entire 4 of them entered into this double performance.. in public, portraying themselves as unfortunate grieving carers,.. in private, what?.. 1 murderer/liar, 1 sexual deviant / liar , 1 perverted liar, and another perverted liar?.. how did that work out when the front door closed on that house?

And so far, it's just the tip of the iceberg, I reckon. no one can do all this without a lifetimes practice, truly. I don't believe that he , and they, suddenly knew what to do. ... that out of the blue , in response to a murder done in the house they eat and sleep in, they produced this flawless performance.. Its been a long time coming.

my opinion.
 
I thoroughly agree with everything Trooper said, except I would suggest we might be dealing with two sexual deviants/ liars. Tiah could have been warding off both father and son. They might have been able (almost) to spin a romantic Romeo & Juliet story about the son, but there was no easy way to spin an explanation about the dad being involved with her.

MOO
 
I am nearly 100% certain the comment, warning the girl on Fb, was posted when this hit the headlines and his FB account was still open.
 
If Trent was such an accomplished dancer, why is there nothing about him on YouTube?
 
I thoroughly agree with everything Trooper said, except I would suggest we might be dealing with two sexual deviants/ liars. Tiah could have been warding off both father and son. They might have been able (almost) to spin a romantic Romeo & Juliet story about the son, but there was no easy way to spin an explanation about the dad being involved with her.

MOO

I cant believe Thorburn murdered TIa to 'save his son'.. that's absurd ...... I can see how Julene entered into this game with dedication.. what would a grieving foster mother do?.. she would stand together with the bio-mum and hold her hand and work with her, and for her, and present her self to the community as a grieving and baffled foster mother, collecting Dancing awards on behalf of the 'missing' child, .. holding birthday parties , complete with pony rides , for the 'missing' child,... yet this is a woman who knows her husband has murdered this child. I claim she knows where he dumped her body, too. But she can present this façade , without break.

What in hell went on in that home when the sun went down? . .

And the Jolly Planker, he of the Alpaca coiffure, Mr Dancin Feet, Queenslands own Hair Bro.. his performance has been outstanding. . Keeping up the twitter, the Instagram, the social forays, the endless chatter and banter, the various fashionista battles, holding up Mum and Dad in their grief, .. carefully photographing himself , partly nude, with a gamin like serious look on his little face,..... look at moi, I am your next idol... ...

Of the older brother, I cant see him clearly yet. I expect that to change. I had wondered if he was slightly intellectually challenged.. All I know is, he had qualifications for working with Mum in the day care business she ran, what those quals were I don't know, yet there is something odd about a bloke who wants to take that on at his young age, but maybe that's just me. .. unless, there was something in it for him , apart from a meagre wage.
 
I thoroughly agree with everything Trooper said, except I would suggest we might be dealing with two sexual deviants/ liars. Tiah could have been warding off both father and son. They might have been able (almost) to spin a romantic Romeo & Juliet story about the son, but there was no easy way to spin an explanation about the dad being involved with her.

MOO

I agree with you! I will say that I thought perhaps it was a twisted Romeo and Juliet story, Tiah was killed perhaps in some scuffle accidentally, and they all went about trying to keep a "normal" life profile so no one would suspect anything. This, to me in this devastating tragedy, was a less evil way to look at it and think about it. Rather than thinking this poor girls life was nothing but horror for 10mths.
 
Jesse Grund's comment on the Anthony family comes to mind with this family: "A carnival of dysfuctionality".
 
I agree with you! I will say that I thought perhaps it was a twisted Romeo and Juliet story, Tiah was killed perhaps in some scuffle accidentally, and they all went about trying to keep a "normal" life profile so no one would suspect anything. This, to me in this devastating tragedy, was a less evil way to look at it and think about it. Rather than thinking this poor girls life was nothing but horror for 10mths.

I'm sure that option will be played up by the accused. There is no 'normal' in hiding the death/murder of a child/person and disposal of their body. It's psychopathic, these people (FF and FM) lack empathy, conscience or decency. They choose to use children for money, sex and whatever else comes to mind.
 
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