A coroner has slammed Queensland Police for its shambolic response to a young woman’s disappearance.
Monique Clubb went missing from a park in Beenleigh, south of Brisbane, in June 2013.
Deputy state coroner Jane Bentley found the 24-year-old died soon after leaving the park, where she was last seen stumbling into a creek.
After nine years, her body has still never been found.
In findings handed down this week, Ms Bentley was highly critical of the police investigation.
“There was obvious confusion as to which police officer from which unit was the lead investigator which resulted in a lack of critical review and tactical decision making – leading to gaps in the investigation,” Ms Bentley said.
“The investigation was discontinued at a time when it may have been possible to obtain further evidence”
The much-loved sister and daughter had left her hometown of Hervey Bay, in the Fraser Coast region, Queensland with two acquaintances for an unplanned trip to Brisbane.
A person believed to be Ms Clubb was last seen getting off a train at Beenleigh Station on 22 June, 2013.
The day before Ms Clubb’s disappearance she was prescribed fifteen days use of drugs.
Ms Bentley said the prescription of five fentanyl patches and 50 diazepam tablets was “inappropriate.”
The coroner urged police to implement airborne phone location systems after they failed to check phone records or public transport CCTV footage at Beenleigh and Southbank train station.
Ms Bentley found police had not thoroughly searched the surrounding bushlands and waterways, or taken statements from the last people to see Ms Clubb alive.
The coroner said police assumed Ms Clubb was drunk, which was “inconsistent with the evidence”.
Ms Clubb was remembered as a “second mum” to her five siblings, who was always there for her close-knit family when times were tough.
Ms Clubb’s mother Sheena McBride said her daughter was a “promising young student and with hopes of a bright future”.
Ms McBride said after a serious car accident Ms Clubb started using drugs and hanging out with “the wrong crowd”.
Sister-in-law Nikki Duncan said the pain of her disappearance only seemed to get worse.
“She would have given her life for every single one of us,” Ms Duncan said.
“That is how she is. Family is everything to her.”
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