Convicted child killer Rick Thorburn is found dead in his jail cell after taking his own life

By OLIVIA DAY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 04:01 BST, 12 April 2025 | Updated: 04:12 BST, 12 April 2025

A notorious child killer has been found dead in his jail cell after taking his own life. 

Rick Thorburn, 64, murdered 12-year-old schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer, who was his foster child, in 2015 and was sentenced to life in prison. 

It’s understood Thorburn was found dead in his cell in regional Queensland on Friday, the Courier Mail reports. 

Queensland Corrective Services confirmed the death in a statement.

‘The 64-year-old man was accommodated in a single cell and was found unresponsive at approximately 10pm,’ a spokeswoman said.

‘Responding officers called QAS and attempted to revive the man however their efforts were unsuccessful.’

More to come.  

Rick Thorburn, 64, murdered 12-year-old schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer, who was his foster child, in 2015 and was sentenced to life in prison (he is pictured in 2015)

Tiahleigh was only 12-years-old when she was murdered by her foster dad

Her body was found on the banks of the Pimpama River on the northern Gold Coast

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Convicted child killer Rick Thorburn is found dead in his jail cell after taking his own life

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