Slain Queensland schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer's foster father has been charged with her murder.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Rick Thorburn, 56, was taken into the Logan police station on Tuesday morning in handcuffs and led out a little more than an hour later, bundled into a police van and taken to the watchhouse to be charged.
Just before 2pm, police confirmed he had been charged with the 12-year-old Logan schoolgirl's murder.
At 3.45pm he fainted while at Beenleigh Watch House and was transported to Princess Alexandra hospital in a stable condition.
On Tuesday evening, police confirmed he had also been charged with one count of interfering with a corpse.
Tiahleigh's 19-year-old foster brother, one of four people taken into custody by police on Tuesday, was charged with two counts of perjury and one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Both men were due to appear before the Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Wednesday. However there was a possibility the father would have a bedside hearing.
The man's wife, Julene and brother remain in police custody at the Logan District Police Headquarters for questioning but have not been charged, Detective Inspector Damien Hansen said.
"She (Julene) is with a legal advisor at the moment and is assisting us, she will be a key witness, all three will be key witnesses," he said.
All four have been denied police bail and have been remanded in custody at the Beenleigh Watch House.
Tiahleigh's biological mother has asked to be left alone, Inspector Hansen said.
"This has been very traumatic for her, she has been asked to be left alone, it has affected her greatly and affected the family," he said.
South Eastern Regional Crime Co-ordinator Superintendent Kerry Johnson welcomed the result after an 11-month investigation.
"A team of dedicated detectives and police officers from the Homicide Group and the Logan District have been working long and endless hours to locate those responsible for her death," Detective Superintendent Johnson said, in a statement.
"Make no mistake, this is an investigation that is close to the hearts of all officers whose sole aim was to bring her alleged killer to justice."
Police stressed the foster mother and 20-year-old foster brother had not been arrested or charged but were simply helping police with their inquiries.
Mr Thorburn was expected to front Beenleigh Magistrates Court tomorrow.
Detective Inspector Damien Hansen said Mr Thorburn had not spoken since police brought him in.
"You're pleased with the result but I'd rather be standing here and ... Tia still be alive, you know," he said.
"It's a tragic event that has occurred."
Inspector Hansen wouldn't reveal whether Mr Thorburn had a blue card, if there were other children in his care currently or how many children he had fostered in the past.
Shortly after 12.30pm, he was led out of the Logan Police District Headquarters and loaded into a police van, to be taken to the Beenleigh Watchhouse and charged with Tia's murder.
Earlier Tuesday morning, he confirmed the man owned a blue 2009 Ford Falcon XR6 police had appealed for information about in relation to Tia's disappearance.
Mr Thorburn reportedly dropped Tia off at Marsden State High School on October 30, the day she was last seen alive.
The four people were all located on Tuesday morning, two at an address in Logan and the other two in a shopping centre.
The breakthrough came after police confirmed the car, labelled a "vehicle of interest", belonged to Tia's foster father.
