More than four years after he went missing, his remains were found in March 2008 under another house where Ms Thomas had lived.

Yesterday should have been Daniel’s 11th birthday and his mother, family and friends held a sad gathering at his Albury graveside.

After all this time, Ms Thomas and her family don’t know how Daniel met his fate and who was responsible — no inquest and no one has been charged.

Ms Thomas hears infrequently from those conducting the investigation into Daniel’s death and there has been little sign of progress in the hunt for answers.

The torment of such a life-changing event is made all the worse by so much uncertainty.

It is almost two years since homicide detectives handed their evidence to the Office of Public Prosecutions and more than five months since there was a bland announcement that an inquest brief was still being readied.

Enough is enough. Ms Thomas deserves answers and that can only begin with the authorities outlining a process that might provide them.