Ethical Standards Command investigates death of 18yo man found in Ross River
The actions of police will be thrust under a microscope as the drowning of an 18-year-old Townsville man is officially deemed a “death in police operation”.
Townsville
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THE actions of police will be thrust under a microscope as the drowning of an 18-year-old Townsville man is officially deemed a “death in police operation”.
The Ethical Standards Command (ESC) flew into Townsville on Friday night after Robert Malayta’s body was pulled from the Ross River more than 24 hours after he jumped in to try and escape from police.
The discovery of the body came a day after Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon eerily made a comment on Thursday that he did not want to attend another funeral of a young person, without knowing the teen was already dead in the river.
Acting Superintendent Brad Inskip said there was no indication police crews chased the teen into the river, but confirmed the dog squad followed a track to the banks minutes later.
“There’s no indication that police have done anything wrong here,” Superintendent Inskip said.
“This is an unfortunate incident and an unfortunate end to what is risky behaviour, but an end that nobody wants to see.”
About 3.30am on Thursday, police stingered two stolen cars on Riverway Drive and all occupants fled the scene.
Among those was Mr Malayta, who ran more than 300m with a 22-year-old man and jumped into the river near Riverway Lagoon.
Superintendent Inskip said crews scoured the Riverway area, including the dog squad who followed a track from the stolen car to a dock over the water about 40 minutes later.
He said the internal investigation would look into why the alarm was not raised when police realised the track stopped at the river.
“That’ll be part of the investigation and ESC overview. Extensive efforts were made to search the area for any persons under those circumstances.
“Information wasn’t there to conduct a search and rescue operation.”
On Thursday night, police were told “third hand” from Mr Malayta’s family that he was missing.
Police sprang into action immediately and started an air, land and river search.
The search continued on Friday morning, and included water police, police divers, SES crews on water and using a drone, and the QGAir rescue helicopter.
Police divers started their search of the river about 9.30am where the police dog track stopped.
They walked through the thick weeds, arm in arm, for some time before donning their oxygen tanks and conducting line searches underwater to the left of the dock.
But it wasn’t until the team took a break and got out of the water about 11.45am that the teen’s body was spotted on the surface.
His body had emerged from the thick weeds just metres from where they were searching.
Police have not located any of the other people who fled the stolen cars, including the 22-year-old.
Superintendent Inskip said Mr Malatya’s family had been notified and police were offering them support.
“It is a message … to our leaders and our parents to maybe speak to the young people in Townsville who are committing this risky behaviour.
“Nobody wants to see it, we don’t want to see it.”
Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Originally published as Ethical Standards Command investigates death of 18yo man found in Ross River
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