DANIEL JAMES MORCOMBE
It has been 12 months today since Bruce and Denise Morcombe received the phone call they had been waiting nearly eight years for.
After Queensland’s biggest police investigation in history, searchers had found the remains of their 13-year-old son, Daniel, in the Glasshouse Mountains near the Sunshine Coast.
It is inhuman to treat Daniel’s remains simply as evidence for a trial
But one year on, the Morcombes are still waiting to bury their son and they have made an impassioned plea to have his remains released so they can bury him.
Daniel’s remains are still undergoing forensic testing ahead of court proceedings for his accused murderer, Brett Peter Cowan.
The Morcombes have released a statement calling for changes to Queensland law to ensure the remains of victims are returned to their grieving families for burial as quickly as possible.
"The 'system' continues to violate Daniel even after his passing, but we will not let the next unfortunate family suffer as we have," their statement said.
Bruce and Denise Morcombe reflect on the one-year anniversary of their son's remains being discovered.
"Everyone would agree that as a developed ethical society we can do better going forward. Reasonable time frames must be written into state law allowing the forgotten victim's family the right to say 'goodbye' in a dignified and timely manner."
The Morcombes said the continual delay in Daniel’s funeral had added to their grief and called for an end to the forensic testing.
"It is inhuman to treat Daniel’s remains simply as evidence for a trial," the statement said.
"Surely modern forensic science, and in particular DNA testing, in this day and age, can demonstrate beyond dispute, the legal question of identification.
"Isn’t that what we have been led to believe?
"It seems the opposite is true and now we are trapped, surrounded with endless questions and uncertainty, delays, and more tests. It just goes on and on."
Daniel went missing while waiting for a bus on Nambour Connection Road at Woombye on December 7, 2003.
He had been heading to a shopping centre to buy Christmas gifts for his family.
His parents and brothers held a private memorial on the land where Daniel had been buried.
They left flowers and rosary beads. But the family are still unable to mark a final resting place.
"We draw no comfort from that discovery, because to us, it feels like he was immediately abducted a second time,” Mr Morcombe said, adding that he and his family were "very grateful" to the searchers.
"A further 366 days have elapsed and there is no end in sight. This is the cruellest twist in a nightmare which began almost nine years ago."
"For now we must wait ... and wait some more."
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