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

Queensland Police are appealing for information to help locate a North Queensland teenager missing since early 2019. Read how you can help.

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

Townsville Police say a person may have been manipulating the social media account of a teenager who has been missing for almost four years.

Police hold concerns for the welfare of Linden Malayta, 18, who was last seen in Ayr in the Burdekin in March, 2019, before potentially travelling north to Townsville.

“Concerns are held for his welfare as he has not made direct contact with family or friends in Ayr since that time,” Queensland Police Service said in a statement on Tuesday morning.

During a media conference in Townsville, Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles said that there had been no confirmed sightings of Malayta since he was 15-years old.

The officer in charge of the Child Protection Investigation Unit said the teenager had initially been reported missing by the family.

“A number of days later, police were advised that he had come to Townsville and he was no longer considered missing by the family and that they had no further concerns.”

He said that two years later additional questions were asked about the boy’s whereabouts with family revealing that “no one had actually heard from him for some time”.

“We’ve had a number of enquiries underway,” he said.

“There has been some social-media interaction, which purports to be from the young person, but this is still subject to our investigation as to whether or not it is.

“The reality is, no one can say with any certainty say they have seen Linden in the last couple of years.”

Det Snr Sgt Miles said police could also not ascertain whether or not any other individuals had been in contact with him, including family members.

“He was certainly a young person who was very close to family, but he hasn’t been speaking to family or had any involvement with family.”

He said there were suggestions that Malayta “perhaps wanted to go and start a new life” but that could not be confirmed.

If you have information about missing Ayr teenager Linden Malayta, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting. Picture: Supplied

Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au. Picture: Supplied

Det Snr Sgt Miles said if the boy did not want to contact his family that was fine but police wanted to “know that he’s okay and that there are no concerns in relation to his health and safety”.

Asked if he was concerned Malayta was being impersonated on social media, Snr Sgt Miles said nothing could be ruled out.

“We just don’t know at this stage given the anonymity behind the various platforms that can be used,” he said.

“Certainly there’s been no engagement with police on these platforms from him.”

He said police had reopened the investigation after they were contacted by additional members of the family and government agencies.

Det Snr Sgt Miles said police had not ruled out any possibilities, including that he had left Queensland.

“There was some initial information that led to inquires in South Australia that proved to be a bit of a red herring from our perspective just in relation to some social-media stuff,” he said.

“But certainly, we have not ruled out that he might be interstate.”

The teenager was last seen wearing his favourite red baseball cap.

This story will be updated as more information comes to hand.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.

Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

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