The man charged with murdering Tiahleigh Palmer has woken from his induced coma, after he reportedly overdosed on pills following his arrest.
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Police confirmed the 56-year-old was conscious on Thursday afternoon and had been moved from intensive care to the hospital’s secure unit.
A woman, whose niece attended Marsden State School with the alleged victim, told 7 News Tiahleigh had been at her house on October 23 when she seemed frightened to return to the Thorburns that day – six days before police believe she was killed.
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Thorburn’s 19-year-old son, Trent, has been charged with incest and is in police custody.
Police are scouring a back yard at Logan as they pursue lines of inquiry into the disappearance of schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer.
Detectives have brought in an excavator on Friday as part of their forensic examination of the large Chambers Flat property, in what homicide squad Detective Inspector Damien Hansen said was a “routine” search.
Trent remains in custody after his bail application was denied by Beenleigh Magistrates Court, which heard he had admitted on Facebook Messenger to having sex with Tiahleigh and was anxious she might be pregnant.
She received a text from Julene, who has been charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice, at about 1.30pm on October 30 stating she was concerned as Tiahleigh had disappeared from school. “The defendant ¬further outlines the victim had spoken to his mother about it”.
A friend of Tia’s told police the young girl had approached her about a month before her alleged murder, saying “Trent tried to touch me”, Sergeant Ellen alleged.
Mr Thorburn’s defence lawyer John Ide argued he should have been granted bail on charges including incest considering his age, lack of criminal history and potential time behind bars awaiting trial.
“We will be looking for any evidence relating to Tia’s murder and any of the other crimes with which the Thorburns have been charged”, he said.
Johnson said the mother was unaware of an alleged incestuous relationship between her daughter and her foster brother, Trent.
Both are on bail and will face court next month.
He was scheduled to face Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Wednesday but his appearance was postponed because of his hospitalisation.
Julene Thorburn and the couple’s 20-year-old son Josh Thorburn were also charged with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Richard Thorburn has been transferred from the PA Hospital to Wacol Prison, however Detective Inspector Hansen said he was not speaking with police.
Police are searching for anything buried at the 12-year-old schoolgirl’s former home, a rural Logan property between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, after seeing evidence of turned earth.
Tiahleigh Palmer’s biological mother, Cindy Palmer is due to speak for the first time since charges were laid against her daughter’s foster family.
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Wearing a white t-shirt emblazoned with “Justice 4 Tahlia”, Ms Palmer tighly clasped the hand of her partner as she avoided media and quietly walked down a Beenleigh street away from the courthouse. On Wednesday, she was accompanied by Josh Thorburn but yesterday she was alone.
