Qld coroner’s court: Investigations ongoing in death of Sarah Brown

The death of a young woman whose body was found in bushland a week after she disappeared at Victory Heights four years ago is now the subject of an investigation. Read the latest details:

Sarah Brown with her mother Janet Gardner. The state coroners court confirmed on Friday an investigation was underway into Sarah’s death.

The state coroners court confirmed on Friday an investigation was underway into the death of Gympie woman Sarah Brown, whose body was found several days after she went missing in 2021.

The 23-year-old disappeared from her Victory Heights home in Gympie about 6pm on Monday, June 7, 2021, and her body was not found for a week.

It was reported she was going to buy alcohol from a nearby shop.

Her mother Janet Gardner arrived in Gympie the day after she went missing, having arranged to meet with her daughter.

A frantic search ensued, and Sarah was listed as missing on Wednesday, June 9, 2021.

Her body was found on Monday, June 14, in bushland at Victory Trails, near her home.

Her death was initially reported as non-suspicious and believed to be a suicide.

Sarah Brown with her mother Janet Gardner.

Ms Gardner was left with questions about her daughter’s death, telling media outlets in August 2021 she was left with a “really bad hand” due to her drug use and “I don’t believe she could have done it herself”.

When asked if further inquiries were being made into the circumstances surrounding Sarah’s death, a spokesman for the state coroner’s court declined to comment.

“As this matter is the subject of an investigation, there is no further comment at this time,” they said.

It is understood Ms Brown’s death has been classified as “violent”, although that does include accidents, suicide, and homicide, and not the result of natural progression of a disease.

Sarah Brown’s body was found at Victory Trails a week after she went missing in 2021. Now her death is back under investigation.

A “violent” death can include drug and alcohol-related deaths.

Ms Gardner criticised the search effort in the wake of the discovery of her daughter’s body, saying she felt like Sarah “wasn’t important or didn’t matter, possibly because she had a history with police and drugs”.

Police defended their efforts, saying detectives used “all methodologies” to find the 23-year-old.

Police declined to comment this week on questions about any further investigations into Ms Brown’s death.

Ms Gardner has been approached for comment.