ID :
203989
Sun, 08/28/2011 - 13:35
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/203989
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Bones are Daniel Morcombe's: police
For almost eight years his family has waited and wondered but DNA testing of bones pulled from swampy Queensland bushland has now confirmed the final resting place of Daniel Morcombe.
Daniel was 13 when he disappeared from a bus stop at Woombye on December 7, 2003, only 12 days before his 14th birthday.
He was on his way to buy Christmas presents when a bus running behind schedule passed him.
When a second bus came minutes later, Daniel was gone.
Forty-one-year-old Perth man Brett Peter Cowan was charged with Daniel's abduction and murder on August 13, sparking an intense search of bushland at Beerwah with up to 60 police and State Emergency Service volunteers.
Three bones were found at Beerwah last Sunday.
Days earlier, two shoes were found, the same brand as Daniel was wearing when he disappeared.
Queensland police commissioner Bob Atkinson said DNA testing of the bones confirmed late Saturday night that they belonged to Daniel.
"This is an enormously significant result," he told reporters in Brisbane.
"It's a very sad answer, but it's the answer."
Mr Atkinson read a statement from Daniel's father Bruce, who said the news was extremely sad.
"We knew in our heart that the search area was Daniel's final resting place, the scientific confirmation is still enormously difficult to comprehend," the statement said.
"For 7 years and 9 months it is that expected shock we have all been waiting for."
Search efforts were again called off on Saturday because of bad weather, with Deputy Police Commissioner Ross Barnett saying it is not expected to resume for another 24 to 48 hours.
"Obviously we're keen to resume the search as soon as possible," he told reporters in Brisbane.
"We're hopeful that more remains and other forensic evidence will be found; we can't be sure of course.
"As long as it takes, we're not going to walk away from that search until we have exhausted absolutely every area of search that we can do.
"It will be at least several weeks."
Despite the foul weather, buildings on a ridge in the area where Daniel's bones were found would be searched on Sunday.
Mr Barnett said a white four-wheel-drive Mitsubishi Pajero had been seized on Russell Island, at Moreton Bay south of Brisbane, as part of the investigation.
At the inquest into Daniel Morcombe's disappearance in April, a witness told of seeing a white Pajero with a vehicle snorkel near the bus stop where the Daniel was last seen.
The Morcombes will make a media statement at 1pm (AEST) in Maroochydore on Monday.
Queensland MP, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, used Twitter to urge Australians to spare a thought for the Morcombe family.
"All of us should spend a while today thinking about the Morcombe family. May little Daniel now rest in peace," he said.
Daniel was 13 when he disappeared from a bus stop at Woombye on December 7, 2003, only 12 days before his 14th birthday.
He was on his way to buy Christmas presents when a bus running behind schedule passed him.
When a second bus came minutes later, Daniel was gone.
Forty-one-year-old Perth man Brett Peter Cowan was charged with Daniel's abduction and murder on August 13, sparking an intense search of bushland at Beerwah with up to 60 police and State Emergency Service volunteers.
Three bones were found at Beerwah last Sunday.
Days earlier, two shoes were found, the same brand as Daniel was wearing when he disappeared.
Queensland police commissioner Bob Atkinson said DNA testing of the bones confirmed late Saturday night that they belonged to Daniel.
"This is an enormously significant result," he told reporters in Brisbane.
"It's a very sad answer, but it's the answer."
Mr Atkinson read a statement from Daniel's father Bruce, who said the news was extremely sad.
"We knew in our heart that the search area was Daniel's final resting place, the scientific confirmation is still enormously difficult to comprehend," the statement said.
"For 7 years and 9 months it is that expected shock we have all been waiting for."
Search efforts were again called off on Saturday because of bad weather, with Deputy Police Commissioner Ross Barnett saying it is not expected to resume for another 24 to 48 hours.
"Obviously we're keen to resume the search as soon as possible," he told reporters in Brisbane.
"We're hopeful that more remains and other forensic evidence will be found; we can't be sure of course.
"As long as it takes, we're not going to walk away from that search until we have exhausted absolutely every area of search that we can do.
"It will be at least several weeks."
Despite the foul weather, buildings on a ridge in the area where Daniel's bones were found would be searched on Sunday.
Mr Barnett said a white four-wheel-drive Mitsubishi Pajero had been seized on Russell Island, at Moreton Bay south of Brisbane, as part of the investigation.
At the inquest into Daniel Morcombe's disappearance in April, a witness told of seeing a white Pajero with a vehicle snorkel near the bus stop where the Daniel was last seen.
The Morcombes will make a media statement at 1pm (AEST) in Maroochydore on Monday.
Queensland MP, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, used Twitter to urge Australians to spare a thought for the Morcombe family.
"All of us should spend a while today thinking about the Morcombe family. May little Daniel now rest in peace," he said.
