Family of Markiah Major speak out about coronial inquest
The family of a missing Far North Queensland teen feared dead believe an inquest will not give them answers, but they have vowed not to give up.
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The family of a missing Far North Queensland teen feared dead believe an inquest will not give them answers, but they have vowed not to give up.
A coronial inquest will be held into the disappearance and suspected death of the Yarrabah teen Markiah Major, 17, who has not been seen since August last year.
Coroner Stephanie Williams will lead the inquest and a pre-inquest conference is scheduled for April 24 in Yarrabah.
But Markiah’s family say they don’t believe an inquest will lead to answers.
The family say they are frustrated with the investigation.
“We are still in the dark,” Markiah’s grandmother Adelaide Sands said.
“A lot of information has gone through to the police and they didn’t come back and inform us what they have done with it.
“We don’t seem to be winning anywhere.”
Markiah was last seen in August last year with police revealing that his bank accounts had not been touched and no one has spoken to him since.
In November police launched an extensive two day land and water search of bushland, beaches, and waterways surrounding Yarrabah.
Police have found no evidence suggesting the teen met with foul play.
The family said they were supposed to meet with police last week.
“We were supposed to have a meeting but they didn’t show, but then they were supposed to come on Tuesday but couldn’t because of the rain and people couldn’t get in and out but he hasn’t got back to us still,” Ms Sands said.
She said the family has information they believe could find Markiah.
“It is very frustrating this is a long seven months with no fresh updates from police,” she said.
“We do have fresh information from the other grandmother but that is not being followed up and that information that they have got is very vital.”
The family believes there are people in the community who know more but are unwilling to come forward.
“People are not talking to the police or the detectives but they are talking to other people and letting it out in a little group and that is where that information is being leaked,” Markiah’s mother Kamaree said.
“We believe he is still out there but we just want these detectives to work with us and go and question (people) and do this follow up.
“Someone needs to be able to build that rapport with them and it could already be happening.”
Ms Sands said the inquest would rely on getting (people) to talk.
“The people who know something won’t be speaking,” she said.
“If it was Markiah who knew something we would be telling him to come forward to tell police what he knew.”
The family is asking to be kept up to date with the investigation.
“They could at least still come over and just meet with us,” Ms Sands said.
“It’s very, very frustrating.
“We are trusting them (the police but) we are going to end up being like (others in the community), we are not going to trust them.
“He’s only 17 you should go deeper into this.”
The family is resolute they will find answers.
“We are not going to give up, we are going to keep going and we want the police to keep going,” Ms Sands said.
“We miss our boy and we just want answers, it’s so sad and long and you can hear the pain in the family, we need to know something.”
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Originally published as Family of Markiah Major speak out about coronial inquest
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