Mark Browning: Man’s mother calls for inquest, casting doubt on suicide ruling

The mother of a man who died in 2017 is pushing for an inquest into his death, saying he was a good man who never would have committed suicide.

A distraught mother is fighting for an inquest into her son’s mysterious death after evidence was lost and his body was found by his dog less than 50m from home despite a three-day police search.

Christine Walters said she cannot accept that her son, Mark Browning, 39, would have taken his own life, leaving behind his four children.

“If that was the case then I would have to accept it but there are a lot of questions to be answered and I still don’t believe he killed himself,” Ms Walters said.

“My son was the most caring, loving boy. He helped everybody, he was just beautiful and he loved his children.”

Father-of-four Mark Browning, 39, (right) who was found hanged a couple of years ago. His mum Christine Walters (left) wants an inquest into his death. Picture: Supplied ,

Mark Browning, 39. Picture: Supplied ,

A police investigation found Mr Browning, a truck driver, was last seen leaving his de facto’s house at Bringelly after an argument on February 17, 2017 carrying a rope in his hand. He left behind his phone, wallet and car.

Ms Walters said she was told the next morning her son had gone missing but not that he was carrying a rope.

“Had I been told that, I would have immediately contacted the police or other family members and gone over to Mark’s house,” she said.

He was not reported missing until later that day, February 18, and the police search with horses, dogs and a helicopter began the following day, two days after Mr Browning went missing.

In a submission to the Office of the NSW Coroner, written with the help of a retired senior detective sergeant and a retired senior correctional officer, Ms Walters questioned why her son was not found until the third day of the police search when his rottweiler found him in a clump of bushes just 20m from where police vehicles were parked. He was kneeling forward with a noose around his neck and a bottle of Wild Turkey.

Ms Walters said she kept the bottle after police did not collect it as evidence. Police lost the statement made by Mr Browning’s de facto and did not ask the de facto’s father, who also lived in the house, for a statement.

Ms Walters believes police were too quick to write off the death as a suicide and wants the coroner to reconsider the decision not to hold an inquest.