Suspicious fire in QLD home after alleged teen torturers address leaked

Queensland Police have revealed disturbing flyers were distributed just hours before a fire destroyed a house where the alleged torture of a teenage girl took place earlier this month.

Authorities previously confirmed that three young girls had been charged over the horrifying incident, which involved the 13-year-old female victim allegedly being tied up, knifed, burnt and hit with bottles in shocking footage shared on social media.

The victim’s mother said the girl’s face was “unrecognisable” after the alleged attack, which occurred during a sleepover at the property in Tewantin on the Sunshine Coast.

The injured girl was forced to spend a week in the hospital, suffering from a stab wound to the knee, a fractured wrist and severe swelling.

Overnight, a “suspicious” fire engulfed the Queensland home just days after the address of an alleged teen torturer was leaked online by vigilantes.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, Sunshine Coast District Superintendent Craig Hawkins confirmed a “racially-motivated flyer” had been circulating throughout Tewantin during the 24 hours before the blaze, which he said appeared to have been generated by people from outside the community and possibly from outside Queensland as well, and which appeared to be targeting the previous occupants of the home.

He said it was a “direct attempt by individuals who don’t live on the Sunshine Coast … to incite radical, racially-motivated behaviour” and described the move as a “gutless attempt to incite a level of fear, a racial dispute where they have no real motivation other than to cause disharmony”.

“The cultural heritage of the people who did occupy this home is completely irrelevant,” he added.

Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Mansfield also hit out at possible vigilantes responsible for the fire, and confirmed the property was being treated as “crime scene” under suspicion of arson, but that the origin point of the fire was not yet known.

Police currently have “no indication” how the fire started, and are appealing for witnesses with CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward.

The electronic digital evidence team is also “combing through social media” to find clues from videos and posts shared online.

Sergeant Mansfield said the incident was of “grave concern” as it had put neighbours at risk, and that the behaviour was “not condoned” by police or the wider community.

He confirmed police had been doing regular patrols of the area since the online threats emerged but said while authorities were “concerned” for the former residents’ safety, he believed the threat was reduced now the house had been “completely destroyed”. The family had already left the property before the fire, police confirmed.

Sergeant Mansfield also expressed disappointment that the Housing Department property had been destroyed when it could have provided shelter for another family in need.

It is understood the torched home had been seriously vandalised in the days leading up to the fire, and had been boarded up and abandoned by the occupants.

The brick home that was torched, which featured a tiled roof, matched the description of the home where the girl was allegedly tortured in.

It comes after Tewantin residents this week claimed the property where the alleged attack unfolded had been “trashed beyond repair”.

Speaking to the Courier-Mail anonymously, several residents said they had seen “horrific” acts of vandalism carried out in “broad daylight”.

“You’re watching teenagers do things that these teenagers would never do, and you’re like, ‘why are you doing this?’” one resident said.

“They’ve never seen this before, this has never happened before.

“They just want to be on social media too.”

Property records reveal the vandalised property is owned by Queensland’s Department of Housing.

The alleged torture incident stunned Australians, and in the days after the story broke, personal details of the alleged attackers – including names and at least one home address – were leaked online, sparking fears of potential vigilante attacks.

A string of social media posts have since gone viral which include the names of the girls allegedly involved, clear images of them and an address.

In one post, the author encourages the public to “name and shame” those responsible.

Dozens of separate social media accounts have also since emerged, amassing thousands of followers and identifying the accused, their family members, their workplaces, and even their home addresses.

It’s an offence to identify minors being dealt with under Queensland’s Youth Justice Act.

Alarmingly, many posts have suggested and even encouraged violent revenge attacks.

One shows photos of the three accused and reads: “So everyone can memories ur faces bfr and after (sic).”

The social media accounts of the girl’s parents are also shared with captions like “Do your job ladies and gentlemen” and “don’t ever feel sorry for what u (sic) will say”.

Other vile posts have also encouraged the alleged attackers to carry out acts of self-harm.

Now, just days after the details were shared, Queensland Police have announced an investigation into a suspicious fire in Tewantin, with detectives from Sunshine Coast Criminal Investigation Branch appealing for public assistance.

At approximately 1.30am on Wednesday morning, emergency services were called to a fire at a Waratah Close address in the town.

Police confirmed the house was “fully engulfed in flames” by the time emergency services arrived at the scene.

No one was in the property at the time of the incident and no injuries were reported.

Police have declared a crime scene at the property and are waiting for the scene to be declared safe before conducting a full examination.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or has dashcam or CCTV from the surrounding area, is urged to contact police, with investigations continuing.

Queensland Police told news.com.au in a statement that “police are investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident”.

Last week, a rumour circulating on social media that one of the alleged attackers’ family homes had been torched was rejected by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

Queensland Police previously refused to comment on whether it was aware of the personal details being shared, and if any extra security measures were in place to protect those living at the address being distributed.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman told news.com.au three crews and one senior officer initially attended the scene, with the first arriving just after 1.30am.

The spokeswoman confirmed the house was “well involved” by the time the crews arrived, and that the roof of the property had collapsed during the blaze.

It appeared there was nobody at home at the time.

Fire crews had the blaze under control by 2am, and continued to damped in down until the early hours of the morning, before departing at around 6am.

A fire investigator will work with Queensland Police as the investigation continues.

News.com.au contacted the Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy for comment.

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