Daniel was 24 when he went missing from his family’s home in Highton, Geelong, on July 15, 2011. He left his phone, wallet and other personal items behind.
After five years of desperately searching across the country, Daniel’s father Des found his remains on Monday afternoon in a “cavity” he discovered while digging in “the side of a hill alongside the house”, reports the Daily Mail.
“That’s not anything any father wants to do, no parent should find their child like that,’ Mrs O’Keeffe said. “The fact that his father found him adds another level of grief.
“I can’t bring myself to go down there. It certainly wasn’t the outcome we were expecting.”
Police have yet to formally identify the remains, but Daniel’s family confirmed it was him on Facebook just hours after the bones were discovered.
Detectives say there are no suspicious circumstances at this stage.
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