Tiahleigh Palmer smothered by foster father night before she was said to have vanished on way to school, police allege

TIAHLEIGH Palmer was murdered – most likely smothered – the night before her foster father claimed he dropped her at the school gates, police will allege.

• COURT: Fears Tia was pregnant
• CHARGED: Accused swallowed pills

TIAHLEIGH Palmer was murdered – most likely smothered – the night before her foster father claimed he dropped her at the school gates, police will allege.

Rick Thorburn, who remains in an induced coma after apparently taking an ­unknown substance, initially convinced detectives he had last seen his 12-year-old foster daughter on the morning of October 30 last year walking towards her school.

Detectives were initially confused by sightings of Tia on a bus or at McDonald’s, and eventually spoke to a student who claimed she had spoken to Tia that morning.

A family photograph of Rick, Josh, Julene and Trent Thorburn.

“The children … are trying their best to help us but ­obviously it is difficult trying to place different things on different days,” detective Superintendent David Hutchinson said at the time.

But police now believe Tia never made it to school and had been killed the night before.

Rick Thorburn, 56, is accused of murdering Tia after discovering that his 19-year-old son had allegedly been sexually abu­sing her.

Trent Thorburn has been charged with incest, perjury and perverting the course of justice, and was yesterday refused bail.

Rick Thorburn was said to have been panicked at the idea that his son, a young bisexual dancer, could end up in prison, where he believed he would be targeted by fellow inmates.

The Crime and Corruption Commission took a major role in investigating the family, with Rick, his wife Julene and their sons Josh, 20, and Trent, 19, all questioned in secret Star Chamber hearings.

Police at the Thorburn’s Chambers Flat property. Picture: Tara Croser

Despite this, Trent Thorburn appeared unperturbed, posting the words “Loving life! Living life!” on his Instagram account two weeks ago.

It is understood that Tia spent 10 months in the Thorburn household, where her activities were tightly controlled by the family, who took strict views on her social media usage.

Tia’s body was found by fishermen on the banks of the Pimpama River on ­November 5. Her body was badly decomposed and a post-mortem examination failed to find a cause of death. Investigators are understood to now believe smothering is the most likely explanation.

Rick Thorburn is yet to face court after being charged with murder and interfering with a corpse, while Julene and Josh face charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice.