A Queensland policeman has told of how he was on duty and took a call that led fellow officers to discover his teenage daughter dying after an apparent suicide attempt four years ago.
Brisbane police on Tuesday launched a homicide investigation into the death of the 15-year-old girl, saying fresh information had come to light.
The girl was found hanging from rafters in the basement of an Upper Mt Gravatt house in Brisbane's south on September 7, 2006.
Under Queensland law, media have been ordered not to reveal the 15-year-old girl's name.
Her father Sergeant Damian Rockett, a Mt Gravatt police officer, told reporters on Wednesday that he was on duty at the station at the time.
"I took the phone call from a person at the house the day it happened," Sgt Rockett said.
"I arranged for the police to attend. I was actually working and I was listening to what was going on the police radio."
He said he knew from the call and the police radio that his daughter was seriously hurt.
She died in hospital that night from her injuries, and her death was treated as a suicide.
Sgt Rockett said police attended the house about 3.30pm (AEST) and questioned the residents, who told them his daughter was not there.
The officers then searched Wishart Road in Upper Mt Gravatt, where the girl had last been seen wandering through traffic.
He said police later returned to the home after one of the residents said they had found her hanging in the basement.
Sgt Rockett said he was open minded about his daughter's death and still had not ruled out suicide.
"I would like to know the truth. I feel rather helpless," he said.
Detective Inspector Rod Kemp told reporters on Wednesday that there were now six persons of interest in the case.
Det Insp Kemp said new information, including DNA and witness accounts, had led police to reopen the file.
"Some of the persons of interest are heavily involved in drugs," he said.
Sgt Rockett said his daughter became involved with drugs and started squatting at a home where drug addicts lived after he split with his wife, the girl's mother, in 2003.
"She was in a relationship with a 28-year-old male who had a drug habit and psychiatric problems, and I felt she was at risk of harm, but (the department of child safety) didn't do anything," he said.
He blamed his daughter's death on a lack of child protection laws that didn't allow authorities to forcibly remove her from the house.
"There's no safe and secure place in Queensland for authorities to take a child who keeps putting herself in harm," he said.
Police on Tuesday said a new forensic search would be carried out at a home in Mt Gravatt. Officers are also doorknocking in the area to seek witnesses.
Detective Acting Chief Superintendent Brian Wilkins, of the State Crime Operations Command, said any detail might prove crucial in the investigation.
"Don't discount anything as being trivial. Talk to us and help us to find the answers," he said on Tuesday.
A major investigation room has been established at Holland Park Police Station.
A police post has also been set up on Wishart Road, including a mannequin dressed in dark-coloured full-length trousers and a white bandeau top like those the girl was seen wearing.
She was described as 176cm tall, of thin build, with shoulder-length light brown hair.
heraldsun 11 Nov 2010
This is another example of how the law is deliberately designed to break up the family unit.
Even the Law Enforcer was tragically unable to save his daughter from the criminal element, that had a hand in her death.
A deliberate failure by design by the 'system'.
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