Coronial inquest to be held into disappearance of Markiah Major

A coronial inquest will be held into the disappearance and suspected death of a Yarrabah teen who has not been seen since August last year.

Yarrabah woman Kamaree Major is comforted by relatives Breannen Sands, Paige Fourmile and Eric Sands as she sheds tears for her missing son Markiah Major, 17, who was last seen in Cairns on August 15. Picture: Brendan Radke

A coronial inquest will be held into the disappearance and suspected death of a Yarrabah teen who has not been seen since August last year.

Markiah Major was last seen by his mother in Westcourt on August 15, 2023, and was reported missing to police on September 2.

Extensive searches throughout November in and surrounding Yarrabah failed to locate any sign of the missing boy after divers and a human remains detection dog scoured remote bushland for remains.

Yarrabah woman Adelaide Sands is appealing for information on the whereabouts of her grandson Markiah Major, 17, who was last seen in Cairns on August 15. Picture: Brendan Radke

Police later connected the missing teen to a remote area near Yarrabah after finding a dumped Volkswagen Polo at the end of Back Beach Rd on the evening of August 19.

The vehicle, stolen from Yungaburra on August 17, is understood to contain personal effects belonging to the missing boy.

Police, SES, divers and a human remains detection dog have scoured remote bushland near Yarrabah for the remains of missing teen Markiah Major. Picture: Queensland Police Service

Coroner Stephanie Williams will lead the inquest and a pre-inquest conference is scheduled for April 24 in Yarrabah.

This is a preliminary hearing where the coroner decides what issues to examine, who the parties are, which witnesses will be called, how long the inquest will take and where to hold it.

The inquest is tasked with investigating when, where, and how the suspected deceased Mr Major died and what caused his death.

In November, Detective Acting Inspector Jason Chetham said police had ruled out foul play and a “window of survivability had been exhausted”.

Police, SES, divers and a human remains detection dog have scoured remote bushland near Yarrabah for the remains of missing teen Markiah Major. Picture: Queensland Police Service

Act Insp Chetham said the boy’s bank accounts have not been touched since his disappearance and it was “possible” the boy’s body could be lying in bushland around Yarrabah.

Markiah Major has not been seen since August 15. Photo: Supplied

Police also denied rumours that Markiah had broken into a property belonging to “the wrong people” at Trinity Beach and his death was motivated by revenge.

Back in October Markiah’s shattered family made a plea to the public for any information on their missing boy.

“It’s been too long, we are stuck in the mud here, speak up and say something don’t hide it,’ family matriarch Adelaide Sands said.

“We need answers, set yourself free from this, let things out and speak out because the family are in pain.”

Originally published as Coronial inquest to be held into disappearance of Markiah Major