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Tiahleigh Palmer’s foster father out of coma

A family calling for justice for the murder of 12-year-old Tiahleigh Palmer in Beenleigh.

A family calling for justice for the murder of 12-year-old Tiahleigh Palmer in Beenleigh. Photo: AAP

The man charged with murdering Queensland schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer has woken from an induced coma and is expected to be transferred to the Brisbane Correctional Centre.

Tiahleigh’s foster father Rick Thorburn, 56, had been in an induced coma at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital after reportedly attempting to overdose on pills while in custody on Tuesday.

On Thursday afternoon, police confirmed he was awake and had been transferred out of the hospital’s ICU to its secure unit.

Once medical staff approve his discharge, he is expected to be taken to the Wacol jail.

Thorburn’s wife, Julene, 54, is on bail after facing court on charges of perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Meanwhile, the Seven Network has reported Tiahleigh was afraid to go home to the Thorburns a week before she disappeared.

Ms Thorburn was forced to pick the 12-year-old up from a house in October last year after she sought refuge with a friend, Seven reports.

The friend’s aunt, who requested to remain anonymous, claimed Tiahleigh was afraid to go home because she “was going to get in big trouble”.

Ms Thorburn reportedly sent a reassuring text message to the woman, requesting she tell Tiahleigh that “if she is worried, tell her that just Julene is coming”.

Rick Thorburn

Tiahleigh’s foster father Rick Thorburn escorted by police after questioning in relation to her death. Photo: AAP

The day Tiahleigh went missing, the woman said she received a text message from Julene that the child had “run from school again”.

Forensic officers are continuing to search the Thorburns’ Logan home.

Police now believe Tiahleigh was killed the night before Rick Thorburn claimed to have dropped her off at school, the Courier Mail reports.

Authorities had been working on the theory that she disappeared after being dropped off at Marsden State High School on October 30.

But the paper says it’s now alleged she never made it to the school and she died the night before, after Thorburn allegedly learned his son Trent, 19, had been having sex with her.

Tiahleigh Palmer's body was found on the banks of the Pimpama River.

Tiahleigh Palmer’s body was found on the banks of the Pimpama River. Photo: AAP

Trent Thorburn has been charged with incest, perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice, and was denied bail in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The paper also reports Tiahleigh chose to stay with the Thorburns rather than return to her mother’s care because she had developed a “crush” on Trent Thorburn.

The Beenleigh Magistrates Court heard Trent admitted having sex with Tiahleigh in a Facebook Messenger conversation with a cousin before her death and was worried she might have been pregnant.

The Thorburns’ other son Josh, 20, is on bail after being charged with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Both he and Ms Thorburn will face court on October 10.

-AAP

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