Young Mother Found Dead on Beach; Family Seeks Answers Amid Suspicious Circumstances

The grandfather of a young mother found dead on a Queensland beach has shared a final, unusual message he received from her before she disappeared. Payge Leembruggen, 31, a mother to a son with special needs, was last seen on Friday, September 11, and her body was discovered four days later in sand dunes at Mackay's North Wall Beach.

Detectives are treating Ms. Leembruggen's death as suspicious until proven otherwise. Her distraught family is pleading for information that could shed light on her final days.

David Leembruggen, her grandfather, stated that he drove his granddaughter to a hair salon appointment in Mackay on Friday morning. "She was quite okay," he told the Daily Mail. "I drove her in because she doesn't have a licence, and said, 'Give me a yell when you're ready to be picked up'. Then she sent me a message saying, 'Don't worry about picking me up, I'll get my own transport home.'"

He never heard from her again. Police arrived at the family's property on Tuesday to deliver the news of her death.

Police are appealing for any information regarding Ms. Leembruggen's whereabouts in the four days before her body was found. A friend of Ms. Leembruggen reported seeing a Snapchat message from her over the weekend showing her dancing with an unidentified woman. Mr. Leembruggen said he had not seen this message, as it had disappeared from Snapchat. He explained that the family had not initially reported her missing because it was not out of character for her to be out of contact for several days.

Ms. Leembruggen lived with her grandparents and mother, and was mother to five-year-old Nakoa, who has category three autism and is non-verbal. Her grandfather noted that Nakoa, who is unaware of his mother's death, shared a loving bond with her.

Mr. Leembruggen described his granddaughter as a friendly person who struggled with addiction, having used methamphetamine since her teenage years. He also mentioned she had a tendency to attract "terrible friends and men." Another friend alleged that Ms. Leembruggen had escaped a domestic violence situation last year. In June, she had posted on Facebook seeking housing, stating she was looking to start a new life with her son after leaving a "bad DV relationship" and having lost everything.

A GoFundMe appeal has been established by a friend, Safiira Shah, for Nakoa's care, with funds intended for his specialist needs and future financial support. Ms. Shah paid tribute to Ms. Leembruggen, calling her "one of the most loving and empathetic" people she knew.

Ms. Leembruggen's body was flown to Townsville for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Detective Inspector Emma Novosel of the Mackay Whitsunday District stated that police are working to fill the four-day gap in Ms. Leembruggen's known movements and are seeking public assistance. She added that the area where the body was discovered is dense and difficult to access, and it is unclear if Ms. Leembruggen died at the beach or if her body was moved there. Police confirmed the beach remains safe for public use.

Ms. Leembruggen was last seen wearing a white top and bright red trousers.