Linden Malayta: Concerns increase for welfare of Burdekin teenager

Fears are growing for the fate of a missing North Queensland teenager who has not been positively sighted in four years. Read why concerns are mounting.

Ayr teenager Linden Malayta has not been seen since March, 2019. Picture: Supplied

Fears are growing for the fate of a missing North Queensland teenager from a tragedy-struck family who has not been positively sighted in four years.

It can also be revealed that Burdekin teen Linden Malayta, 18, who was last seen in Ayr in March, 2019, comes from a high-profile family struck by two unrelated drowning tragedies in 2022.

Linden is a cousin of Robert Malayta, also 18, who drowned in the Ross River in Townsville in a failed attempt to escape police in February last year.

He is also a nephew of Selwyn Malayta, 48, whose body was recovered by Queensland Police divers after a gruelling search through the muddy waters and thick vegetation of Plantation Creek in Ayr in September.

Selwyn and a friend had entered the creek in the early hours of September 14 but only his friend made it to shore safely. There were no suggestions of foul play.

Ayr teenager Linden Malayta has not been seen since March, 2019. Picture: Supplied

A source in the Burdekin with connections within the reclusive Indigenous family said there were widespread concerns with in the community about the welfare of Linden.

The person said that among the concerns was the fact that he did not appear at the funeral of Robert, saying the pair were close.

They said Linden did also not attend the funeral of the grandfather that helped raise him, heightening concerns.

Rumours were rife in the community about his fate, the source said.

The nature of the rumours were put to Townsville Police, who were asked if the case would be upgraded from a missing persons file.

Linden Malayta: Ayr teenager not seen since 2019, Queensland Police say

Acting Senior Sergeant Nicole Stuart said the ongoing investigation had been extensive.

“We have conducted extensive inquiries to locate Linden Malayta, working closely with members of his family and have followed up all information people have provided to date,” she said.

“Detectives from Townsville and the Missing Persons unit continually assess all information obtained from the public to re-evaluate the direction of the investigation.”

Ayr teenager Linden Malayta has not been seen since March, 2019. Picture: Supplied

Senior Sergeant Stuart, the officer in charge of the Child Protection Investigation Unit, said police were “seeking community assistance to ask anyone who has information on Linden’s whereabouts or circumstances of his disappearance to contact police”.

“No matter how small or insignificant people may think a piece of information is, please report it to police or contact Crimestoppers,” she said.

Originally published as Linden Malayta: Concerns increase for welfare of Burdekin teenager