October 29th 2024.
Warning: The following story contains information about a deceased Indigenous person, including their name and images.
According to a witness, the girlfriend of teenager Mark Haines knows what happened the night he was found dead on train tracks. However, she is too scared to come forward and tell the police. Haines' body was discovered on January 16, 1988, on the tracks near Tamworth in NSW. He was not far from a crashed stolen car, and an autopsy showed that he died from a traumatic head injury.
The initial police investigation concluded that Haines had either intentionally laid on the tracks or was in a confused state. However, his family has always had doubts about this theory. After a long campaign by his uncle Don Craigie, a new inquest has been opened to re-examine the circumstances surrounding Haines' death and the original police investigation.
One of the last people to see Haines alive, Natalie Maher, testified at the inquest. She explained that she had been with Haines and his girlfriend, Tanya White, the night before his body was found. They were part of a group of friends who had gone to two nightclubs in Tamworth. Maher parted ways with the young couple at the end of the night and was shocked to hear the news of Haines' death the next morning.
Maher revealed that she and White are no longer friends because White refuses to share what she knows with the police. In fact, Maher has tried to convince White to come forward multiple times but to no avail. White has expressed fear for her safety, which has prevented her from speaking up.
During her testimony, Maher also shared that White had previously confided in her about who was in the car with Haines on the night of his death and who was driving. However, Maher did not mention this information in her own statement to investigators in 2020. She explained that she was torn between loyalty to her friend, her own young age, and the numerous rumors and fear surrounding Haines' death.
Maher became emotional as she recounted the sorrow and grief she witnessed at Haines' funeral. She expressed deep remorse for not speaking up and helping the family find closure. The inquest continues under the guidance of Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame.
For those seeking support, YARN is a 24/7 crisis support service run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Additionally, readers can contact Lifeline or beyond blue for assistance.
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