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| Australian police Google Maps blunder 'missed location of body' | Australian police Google Maps blunder 'missed location of body' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A missing Australian's body could have been found 18 months earlier if searchers had not relied on incorrect Google Maps data, a coroner has said. | A missing Australian's body could have been found 18 months earlier if searchers had not relied on incorrect Google Maps data, a coroner has said. |
| Darrell Simon, 46, was last seen in November 2014 at his partner's house about 80km (50 miles) west of Brisbane. | Darrell Simon, 46, was last seen in November 2014 at his partner's house about 80km (50 miles) west of Brisbane. |
| Search crews scoured Mr Simon's nearby rural property at the time, but his remains were not found there until May 2016. His death was ruled a suicide. | Search crews scoured Mr Simon's nearby rural property at the time, but his remains were not found there until May 2016. His death was ruled a suicide. |
| A printed map used by police showed incorrect boundaries on the property. | A printed map used by police showed incorrect boundaries on the property. |
| It meant that search volunteers covered only about half of Mr Simon's property in Laidley Creek West, said Queensland deputy state coroner John Lock. | It meant that search volunteers covered only about half of Mr Simon's property in Laidley Creek West, said Queensland deputy state coroner John Lock. |
| "The fact the ground search was conducted over only half the property was very regretful and should not have happened," he said in his report completed last month. | "The fact the ground search was conducted over only half the property was very regretful and should not have happened," he said in his report completed last month. |
| The delay in finding Mr Simon's body had "compounded the grief felt by his family and friends, particularly his father", Mr Lock wrote. | The delay in finding Mr Simon's body had "compounded the grief felt by his family and friends, particularly his father", Mr Lock wrote. |
| It had also fuelled speculation that Mr Simon had been the victim of foul play, potentially involving a disagreement over money. | It had also fuelled speculation that Mr Simon had been the victim of foul play, potentially involving a disagreement over money. |
| "One wonders if Darrell's body was found during the first police search... whether such unhelpful and at times clearly defamatory and untruthful speculation would have even surfaced," the report said. | "One wonders if Darrell's body was found during the first police search... whether such unhelpful and at times clearly defamatory and untruthful speculation would have even surfaced," the report said. |
| Mr Lock noted, however, that thick vegetation might still have prevented Mr Simon's body from being found if a search had taken place. | |
| His remains were ultimately discovered by the property's subsequent owners, following a period of drought and the clearing of vegetation. | His remains were ultimately discovered by the property's subsequent owners, following a period of drought and the clearing of vegetation. |
| The coroner's report noted that Google Maps was "less helpful" in determining the property's boundaries than other tools available to police. | The coroner's report noted that Google Maps was "less helpful" in determining the property's boundaries than other tools available to police. |
| Mr Lock recommended that police be ordered to conduct future searches by using high-quality GPS and mapping data, and improve their communications with search volunteers. | Mr Lock recommended that police be ordered to conduct future searches by using high-quality GPS and mapping data, and improve their communications with search volunteers. |
| Queensland police had already taken steps to address both recommendations, the coroner was told. | Queensland police had already taken steps to address both recommendations, the coroner was told. |