Police hand back Daniel Morcombe search site



THE Sunshine Coast property where the remains of Daniel Morcombe were found has been returned to its owners.


The exhaustive search for the 13-year-old’s remains began on the private property near Beerwah in mid-August, after Perth man Brett Peter Cowan, 41, was charged with his murder.

Daniel’s skeletal remains and shoes, as well as some items of clothing, were found in the nine-week search, providing answers in Queensland’s most baffling missing-child case.

Daniel vanished from the roadside in 2003, sparking an intense campaign for information and investigation by his parents Bruce and Denise.

Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson today thanked everyone involved in the search, which was often conducted in muddy and difficult conditions, as well as the Morcombes, who visited the site.

“We appreciate their support for those engaged in the search and their patience and understanding of associated issues,” Mr Atkinson said in a statement.

“During the search police and the State Emergency Service sifted by hand through 500 cubic metres of sand and searched on hands and knees to uncover items of clothing, a pair of shoes and skeletal remains.

“Some 850 State Emergency Service volunteers, 100 police recruits and police officers searched land and water areas within the search parameters, accumulating in excess of 13,000 search hours.”

Police formed partnerships with experts in hydrology, zoology, forensic anthropology, geo technicians, a DNA profiler, an archaeologist, a forensic osteologist, a forensic pathologist and a surveyor during the nine-week search, Mr Atkinson said.

“Some 45 forensic officers contributed more than 2500 hours examining forensic material,” he said.

As the material found in the search would be used as evidence in court proceedings, Mr Atkinson said he could not elaborate further on what was discovered.

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