Raven Contini, 8, and Stephanie Ryan die in unit block fire at Thorneside, south of Brisbane
Investigations are ongoing into the house fire that claimed the life of an eight-year-old girl. WHAT WE KNOW
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Police investigating the “ferocious” townhouse fire that claimed the life of eight-year-old Raven Contini and her babysitter on Sunday say there are “unexplained” circumstances connected to the blaze.
This is everything we know so far >>>
What is the timeline of events?
Raven perished in the fire as it ripped through the Thorneside property, despite heroic efforts from neighbours using hoses and buckets, with grave fears held for her babysitter, a 31-year-old female, who remains unaccounted for while the property is still too unsafe to access.
As authorities worked to make what’s left of the townhouse safe to allow investigators to entry, QPS Detective Inspector Paul Dalton gave more details about the tragedy, detailing how “numerous” triple-0 calls were received about 7am.
“Upon suppression of the fire, (QFD) gained entry to the premises and tragically located the body of a small child,” he said.
“That child has since been removed from the scene late last night.”
An investigation centre has been established at the Bayside Crime Investigation Branch (CIB), and police have asked for anyone with mobile phone, home security or dashcam footage to come forward.
Det Insp Dalton confirmed homicide detectives were assisting with the investigation.
Neighbour Elliot Harris on Monday described the frantic moment residents at the complex rushed to help before firefighters arrived.
Mr Harris said he was woken by his partner Francisca Espinoza after the fire alarm went off.
On October 18 police said investigations remained ongoing.
Who is Raven Contini?
Raven was a student at Birkdale South State School.
Birkdale South State School principal Amanda Turnbull said Raven was a “precious part” of the school community.
“Staff and students adored her cheerfulness, friendly smiling face and imagination,” Ms Turnbull said.
“Raven’s love for bright ribbons will forever set her apart and remind us each day of the precious gift she was to our school community.
“At this time we respect the privacy of family and friends to grieve.
“Our team of Guidance Officers and Student Care team will be available to support our community this week as they also come to terms with this news.”
Raven’s mother Chloe Rodgers-Falk and stepfather Matthew Rodgers-Falk were understood to be in Ballina, northern NSW, and raced home after receiving the news.
On October 18 Raven was farewelled in an emotional funeral, with family describing her as fearless and one of a kind.
Who is the babysitter, Stephanie “Stephy” Ryan?
The body of 31-year-old Stephanie Ryan was found in the upper level of a Thorneside townhouse after firefighters spent hours stabilising the burnt-out structure to allow police to enter.
It’s understood Ms Ryan was on a holiday to visit friends, and was staying at the Bayside Court home after arriving from the Northern Territory on Thursday.
It’s understood she was babysitting Raven while her mother Chloe Rodgers-Falk and stepfather Matthew Rodgers-Falk were in Ballina, northern NSW. The couple raced home after receiving the news.
In a tearful interview, Ms Ryan’s grandmother, Thelma Cowell, described her as a “loveable child”.
“My granddaughter was babysitting,” she said.
“She was a loveable child, annoying, but she was a loveable child.”
Mrs Cowell said her granddaughter was in Brisbane on holiday from Alice Springs.
“She had only been up three days,” she said.
“She’s been up before, come from Alice Springs.
“She worked with her father at Repco.”
The grieving aunty of a babysitter who was killed in a ferocious townhouse fire has shared her favourites memories of her niece who would do anything for anyone.
Ms Ryan’s aunt Karen Linsley said her family are beyond devastated as they struggle to process her passing.
“Everyone is just devastated, it’s a tough time for everyone,” she told The Courier-Mail.
“I think everyone is just on autopilot.”
Ms Linsley said that her niece was a happy, loveable woman.
“She was one word awesome, she was always smiling, always happy, well most of the time.
“She would do anything for anyone, no matter what.”
Ms Linsley said that Ms Ryan valued her family and was great with children.
“She loved her brother and sister,” she said.
“She was great with kids, she was always there for all of mine, for all her cousins.
“She was loved by all her family and friends.”
Ms Linsley added that the GoFundMe campaign she established will be used to support the family as they grieve.
“We want to organise a celebration for her in Brisbane where she has family and friends and Alice Springs where she lives with her immediate family,” she said.
“We want everyone that she was close with to remember her.
“We will have some karaoke there, she loved her karaoke.”
Close friend Chloe Walker tole The Courier-Mail she was shocked that her “sister-like” friend passed away.
“She was a few months older than me,” she said.
“I’m still in shock to hear it.”
Ms Walker said the 31-year-old was one in a million with a beauty soul inside out.
“Steph was a person that would always make you smile no matter what you were going through,” she said.
“She would always put others first before herself.
“I remember her pinching myself to tell me to cheer up.
“She will forever have a huge impact on everyone that knew her.”
Ms Walker said her family planned to write a letter and do their own little things for Ms Ryan.
Stephanie Lea said Ms Ryan was one of her best friends despite losing contact with her for a few years since she moved away from Brisbane.
“She was just a very generous person,” she said.
“You could not be sad in a room around her, not even in a cliche way.
“She’d pinch your cheek if you weren’t smiling.
“Everyday was laughter.”
The two Stephanies, known as “big Steph” and “little Steph”, used to meet up for karaoke.
“She drew everyone together, an entire community,” Ms Lea said.
“She had so much love in the world. She just loved everybody.
“I’m absolutely devastated now.”
Stephanie Ryan’s relative Karen Linsley set up a GoFundMe campaign for her to send her off from the world.
“Stephy will always be remembered as a smiley happy young woman,” she said.
“(She was) always there for anyone that needed her without question with great love for her family and friends.
“We are all devastated with the news of what happened.
“Our love and thoughts also go out to Raven’s family at this difficult time.”
She planned to take Ms Ryan back home to Alice Springs for a funeral and create a memorial in Brisbane where she spent most of her life.
A long-term friend of Ms Ryan, who does not wish to be named, said they were all in shock to what happened.
What did emergency services say?
QPS Detective Inspector Paul Dalton on Monday said a male “family friend” who also lived at the Bayside Court left the property for a “few minutes” around the time of the fire.
“He left the premises for a few minutes to go to the shop,” he said.
Inspector Dalton was unable to comment on where the child was located but confirmed there were “unexplained” circumstances.
“The parents were spoken to yesterday afternoon, they are obviously devastated, and they have been offered support by police,” he said.
Queensland Fire Department Acting Superintendent Mark Burchard said crews were still working to make the house safe to enter.
“We’re making the house as safe as possible, as you can see from the damage there, we’ve had structural collapse, so we have a technical rescue crew unit and aerial crew working now to stabilise the upper level and remove the rooftop so we can start the investigation as a joint one with QPS,” Act. Superintendent Burchard said.
“We haven’t really got into the structure just because of stability because of the death of the child in the upper level it’s going to be a slow and prodigal task for us to get into the structure.
“It’ll be about midday, sometime today we make the structure safe, but our entry will be under the direction of QPS because it is a crime scene.”
Act. Superintendent Burchard said the cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
“We won’t be able to have any sort of determination or proper investigation until we get inside the structure,” he said.
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