# Police Allege Tiahleigh Palmer’s Foster Father Killed Her to Protect Son - Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/news-opinion/true-crime/police-allege-tiahleigh-palmers-foster-father-killed-her-to-protect-son/ - Published: 2016-09-21T13:45:43+10:00 - Author: Clare Whitfield ## _The foster father of murdered�12-year-old�girl, Tiahleigh Palmer, is believed to have�killed her�to protect his 19-year-old son who was allegedly in an illegal sexual relationship with Tiahleigh._ The�[Courier Mail](http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/crime-and-justice/cops-allege-tiahleigh-palmer-murdered-to-protect-family-secret/news-story/4707e9813a1263bf6f0694e1d52bd090) �reported that 56-year-old Rick Thorburn allegedly murdered Tiahleigh after finding out that his son, Trent�had been sexually assaulting her during the months she had been in the family’s care. It has been said that Mr Thorburn feared his son could be convicted under the Queensland Criminal Code, which states that a sexual relationship between siblings whether� foster, step or de-facto circumstances is considered incest, and�can attract a life sentence. [⌊Tiahleigh palmers foster father allegedly killed her to protect son who allegedly has sexual relationship with her | stay at home mum⌉⌊Tiahleigh palmers foster father allegedly killed her to protect son who allegedly has sexual relationship with her | stay at home mum⌉[ Mr Thorburn was charged with murder and interfering with a corpse at Beenleigh Watch House on Tuesday.�After he was charged, he collapsed after suffering chest pains and was rushed to�Princess Alexandra Hospital, but is now reportedly in an induced coma.�He was denied bail and has reportedly not said�anything to detectives investigating the alleged murder. Meanwhile, his son, Trent,�was charged with incest, attempting to pervert the course of justice and two counts of perjury.�His older brother Joshua, 20, was also charged with perverting the course of justice and perjury, along with his mother, Julene, 54, who is believed to be�giving�evidence to police about her husband’s involvement in the case. [⌊Tiahleigh palmers foster father allegedly killed her to protect son who allegedly has sexual relationship with her | stay at home mum⌉⌊Tiahleigh palmers foster father allegedly killed her to protect son who allegedly has sexual relationship with her | stay at home mum⌉[ The Courier Mail reported that the perjury charges are in relation to the family giving�false testimony to the Crime and Corruption Commission during a secret hearing relating to Tiahleigh’s death earlier this year. Detective Inspector Damien Hansen said Ms Thorburn and her two children were supposedly‘ key witnesses’ in the murder trial as�she cooperated with police during�their investigation.“ She hasn’t been charged with anything, she is co-operating with us at this stage,” he said after the family were remanded in custody at the Beenleigh Watch House, south of Brisbane. He would not confirm if Ms Thorburn was seeking the $250,000 reward or immunity from prosecution in exchange for information leading to the prosecution of Tiahleigh’s killer. [⌊Tiahleigh palmers foster father allegedly killed her to protect son who allegedly has sexual relationship with her | stay at home mum⌉⌊Tiahleigh palmers foster father allegedly killed her to protect son who allegedly has sexual relationship with her | stay at home mum⌉[ The�arrest comes almost a year�after Tiahleigh’s naked and decomposing body was found by fishermen dumped by the banks of the�Pimpana River,�almost an hour�from where she was last seen with Mr Thorburn at Marsden State School in October last year. Tiahleigh’s�biological mother Cyndi Palmer has launched an online campaign to bring her daughter’s killers to justice, but has asked for privacy since Tiahleigh’s foster family had been�taken into custody. Mr Thorburn was expected to front court today, but this has been postponed due to his medical problems. His son, Trent has faced court earlier today and was denied bail, while�Ms Thorburn and her eldest son Joshua are expected to appear in the same court house on October 10. Source:�[Dailymail.co.uk](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3798429/Slain-schoolgirl-Tiahleigh-Palmer-s-foster-father-murdered-protect-19-year-old-son-having-illegal-sexual-relationship-12-year-old.html) �and�[au.news.yahoo.com](https://au.news.yahoo.com/qld/a/32680806/tiahleighs-foster-dad-taken-to-hospital-after-murder-charge/#page1) ![author avatar](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/ 12/clare_whitfield_profile.webp?quality=80&ssl=1) Clare Whitfield Chief Editor Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work. [See Full Bio](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/) [ ](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/)