Missing mum’s family faces nervous wait

The family of missing mother-of-three Allison Baden-Clay face a restless night as they wait for police to confirm whether a body found on a Brisbane creek bank is hers.

A person canoeing on Kholo Creek at Anstead in Brisbane’s west tipped off police after coming across the body on the bank about 11am (AEST) on Monday, Detective Superintendent Mark Ainsworth says.

However, Supt Ainsworth says police are yet to confirm the body belongs to Ms Baden-Clay.

The 43-year-old’s husband Gerard reported her missing from their Brookfield home, near where the body was found, on April 20.

The body has been removed from the scene for forensic examination, police say.

“We are treating it very seriously that it may be her,” Supt Ainsworth told reporters at the search coordination centre set up at Brookfield Showgrounds.

“We’ve got to go through the normal procedures. Hopefully we’ll make a confirmation either later today or tomorrow.”

The clothing found on the body was similar to Ms Baden-Clay’s, he said.

Supt Ainsworth said her disappearance was now being treated as a homicide and police would continue searching the area.

He said Ms Baden-Clay’s family had been notified the body had been found.

Her parents, Geoff and Priscilla Dickie, were still coming to terms with the news, he said.

“They’ve been here … at the Brookfield Showgrounds being ever hopeful that there will be a positive resolution, the same as ourselves,” he said.

“They’re devastated – I can’t explain it any other way.”

Supt Ainsworth said he could not comment on whether Mr Baden-Clay was a suspect but said there were “numerous” people of interest who had been interviewed.

News of the discovery was met with shock in the Brookfield community on Monday.

“If it is her (body that’s been found), then it’s obviously terrible news,” one mother told AAP as she picked up her children from school.

“She is well known and liked around Brookfield.

“I think everyone has been praying that she is all right.”

Water police, scientific officers and homicide detectives were investigating the scene on Monday afternoon, Supt Ainsworth said.

The police forward command post was moved from the showgrounds to the intersection of Bunya Street and Mt Crosby Road on Monday night.

Detectives are appealing for residents living near where the body was found to contact police if they saw or heard anything between 8pm Thursday, April 19 and 7.30am Friday, April 20.

Mount Crosby Road was closed on Monday afternoon while police investigated the scene but it was expected to be open by Monday night.

The major incident room at Indooroopilly Police Station was still in operation on Monday night, police said.

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