But Daniel’s mother Donna says that after nine years, she has had enough of waiting for some action.

“No one will speak to me at homicide,” she said yesterday.

“No one will tell me what is going on.

“Why do we still have to wait nine years after my boy disappeared?

“It’s four years since his body was found.

“We were told this year that the brief would be with the coroner by June or July. Now they say it might be August.

“No one can tell me what happened with the soil samples they took when Daniel’s body was recovered — I’m sick of the excuses.

“It no longer seems like it is important to anyone but us.”

Daniel, who would now be 11, disappeared from his Myrtleford home in October, 2003 while in the care of family friend Mandy Martyn.

His fate remained a mystery until dogs dug up his bones from a grave underneath a Lawrence Street home in March 2008 — a house his mother had once rented.

The family was told in 2009 the huge workload generated by the Black Saturday fires would delay an inquest. Homicide detectives handed their evidence to the public prosecutor almost two years ago.

Prosecutors said in July 2010 there was not enough evidence to lay charges.

In February a police spokesman said the coronial brief would be submitted by the middle of the year. She said aspects of the investigation required specialist review.

Yesterday, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said the brief was still being prepared and repeated that the case remained a priority.

“Once complete, the inquest brief will be sent to the coroner, before an inquest date is set,” she said.

“Police understand the frustration the ongoing investigation would create for the family, and can assure the investigation is a high priority.”