Rick Thorburn accused of sexually abusing Tiahleigh Palmer before murdering her

Disturbing new twist as foster dad who strangled 12-year-old schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer is accused of killing her to cover up his OWN sexual abuse – as well his teenage son’s

The twisted foster dad who strangled Tiahleigh Palmer has been accused of sexually abusing her along with his teenage son.

Rick Thorburn was jailed for life in 2018 for murdering the 12-year-old schoolgirl in 2015 at their home in Chambers Flat, Queensland.

A sentencing hearing heard he killed Tiahleigh to cover up incestual abuse by his teenage son Trent Thorburn, who feared she was pregnant.

Convicted sex offender Rick Thorburn is serving a life sentence for the murder of Tiahleigh on October 29, 2015

But an inquest into her death was on Wednesday asked to rule that Thorburn murdered her to also cover up his own sexual abuse of her.

Thorburn on Tuesday told the inquest for the first time how he killed Tiahleigh, claiming he accidentally suffocated her.

He said her death happened after he grabbed her and hauled her back inside the house when she tried to run away form home.

More to come. 

A foster father who murdered schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer (pictured) says he accidentally suffocated her when she tried to leave home after an argument

A foster father who murdered schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer (pictured) says he accidentally suffocated her when she tried to leave home after an argument

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk