Tiahleigh Palmer’s foster dad pleads guilty to murder

The foster father of slain Gold Coast girl Tiahleigh Palmer has pleaded guilty to her murder, his lawyers told the court on Monday.

ABC reports that Thorburn’s lawyer Jason Jacobson told the Supreme Court in Brisbane that his client had admitted to his crime and wished to skip the pre-trial date set for next month and go straight to sentencing instead. The court has reportedly agreed and set the sentencing date for May 25.

Thorburn was committed to stand trial for Palmer’s death in July last year after a lengthly police investigation. Palmer, who was 12 at the time of her death, was being fostered by the Thorburn family when she disappeared in 2015.

Six days after she was reported missing, Palmer’s lifeless body was found on the banks of a Gold Coast river.  Police alleged Thorburn smothered the young girl the night before he reported her missing. Her death sparked a major review of the child safety system and the response protocols for when a child goes missing.

Palmer’s foster brother Trent Thorburn was released from prison in January after serving time for four charges, including incest, after admitting to his mother in 2015 that he had had sex with then 12-year-old Palmer. He also pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert justice and perjury.

Police had alleged that Thorburn murdered Palmer after discovering his then 19-year-old son had been sexually abu­sing her. They believed the father panicked and killed Palmer to keep her quiet to ensure his son wouldn’t be jailed for his crimes.

Julene Thorburn, Palmer’s foster mother, was sentenced to 18 months for perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Palmer was in the Thorburns care for 10 months before she disappeared, during which time the family reportedly enforced strict rules around her movements and her use of social media. 

What are your thoughts on this? Have you followed this case over the years?