Payge Leembruggen, a 31-year-old mother, was found dead near Mackay Harbour North Wall four days after she was last seen in Mackay. Her death remains unexplained and is being investigated, with police appealing for information to establish what happened during the missing four-day period.

A year earlier, Leembruggen had sought housing after leaving an abusive relationship, saying she wanted a stable home for her young son, who had special needs. Her five-year-old son, described by a friend as her world, will be cared for by relatives, while a fundraiser aims to support his specialist care and future needs; an autopsy is due to determine the cause of death.