Queensland police have concluded their investigation into the death of Payge Leembruggen, 31, now treating it as non-suspicious after initially investigating it as potentially criminal. Her body was discovered by a dog walker in sand dunes near Mackay on Tuesday, four days after she was last seen at a hair salon appointment on Friday, 11 September. The investigation generated significant community attention, but police have determined there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.

Leembruggen showed no visible injuries when found, with her body currently undergoing forensic testing in Townsville to determine the cause of death. She had a history of substance use and was known to disappear for several days without notifying her family, making her absence unremarkable at the time. A Snapchat post showed her dancing with an unidentified woman over the weekend before she was found. She leaves behind her seven-year-old son, Nakoa, who has autism and is currently in the care of his grandmother and great-grandparents.