The family of a man who was one of three killed in a fiery crash in Queensland say they’ve been denied “closure” as they wait for authorities to return his remains.
While the state’s forensic DNA lab deals with a backlog of more than 41,000 cases, Daniel Stuart’s wife Betty remains “in limbo” over plans to put him to rest a month after the crash at Maryborough.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Wife in limbo as family forced to wait for DNA results before being allowed to bury husband.
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Stuart and Tim Hickey, both driving trucks, and SUV driver Sidney Marstella were killed when the three vehicles crashed on the Bruce Hwy on March 22.
Betty Stuart said authorities initially said it would take “four to six weeks” to identify her husband’s remains and return them to her.
But no update detailing a more concrete timeline since has been provided, putting loved ones in both in Australia and New Zealand at risk of being unable to partake in traditional Māori funeral proceedings.
“It’s really stressful on their side. They want to see their brother,” Betty told 7NEWS.
“They’re just waiting to come over, but they can’t. They’ve got airfares they’ve got to sort out, take the time off work.
“We’ve got no answers. We’ve got no timeframe.
“There’s no closure. Not yet, anyway.”
She said she understood the delay was not the fault of testers, saying she “can’t rush them”, but the “very traditional” family is facing a “non-traditional” situation “with the waiting and the unknowing”.
Under normal circumstances, Stuart would have been laid to rest by now after a traditional period of mourning known as a tangi.
“In that period of time, he lays in our lounge. We laugh, we sing, we cry,” she said.
“For all the ones who haven’t seen him, they would all come over. Family and friends, and all his truckie mates, they would have a chance to come and see him and say their goodbyes.
“They would have their time with him.
“You can grieve. You have that grieving time.”
Forensic Science Queensland has been under the microscope in recent years over issues with DNA testing, prompting two inquiries into the lab in 2022 and 2023.
In the first inquiry it was revealed many DNA samples went untested and others were incorrectly ruled insufficient by the lab.
An automated DNA extraction method used from 2007 to 2016, known as Project 13, was examined in the second inquiry and was found to yield up to 92 per cent less DNA than the manual technique.
A backlog of 37,000 cases potentially needing re-testing was identified and that had now increased to 41,077, Health Minister Shannon Fentiman revealed recently in response to parliamentary questions.
The government has committed almost $200 million to reforming forensic services and providing support to those affected by the inquiries.
The LNP opposition has called for greater transparency over the lab’s issues.
In a statement, the Queensland Coroners Court said ascertaining the identities of the crash victims has been “a complex process”.
“Since the incident occurred, the Disaster Victim Identification unit of the Queensland Police Service have been involved in a concerted effort to identify the deceased persons,” a spokesperson for the court said.
“As you would appreciate, this is a time-consuming process and involves the use of a number of diagnostic tools (including DNA analysis) and agencies, including Forensic Scientific Service Queensland, before identity can be confirmed by the investigating coroner.
“The coroner has sought an update from QPS as to the expected timeframe for completion of this process.
“Family engagement is a primary concern in the coronial system, and a number of agencies are involved in ensuring information is communicated to family members at different stages in the coronial process.”
Fentiman said 38 more forensic scientists have been employed with the state government as part of a $93 million package to boost DNA testing capabilties.
Queensland Health believes the “ongoing successful recruitment and collaboration measures” will “significantly reduce” the backlog this year.
“We have taken a multi-pronged approach to address these issues and expedite testing, which includes significantly increasing resources, launching an international recruitment campaign for qualified forensic biologists, and providing further training for recent graduates,” a department spokesperson said.
“We also work with state and federal government agencies to optimise resource allocation, including sending some samples for interstate testing when required.”
– With AAP