A former Public Trustee employee who believed she had information relevant to the disappearance of a missing Brisbane woman was allegedly told not to speak to police during an investigation that later became a homicide case, with officers later questioning why they had not been contacted sooner.

Kylah Davis, now 22, has launched Supreme Court action against the State of Queensland, alleging the Public Trustee failed to provide a safe and supportive workplace and caused her psychological harm after she became caught between competing obligations to police, her employer, privacy and the public interest.

According to the claim, Ms Davis raised concerns arising from her interactions with the brother of a missing Public Trustee client in 2023 and sent an email asking whether she had authority to contact police because the information could potentially be important to the woman’s disappearance.

The claim alleges Ms Davis was subsequently told by a supervisor that she was right to be concerned, but that she was “not to say anything to police for now”. She further alleges she was warned not to send emails because they were “traceable”, told the Public Trustee would not raise the concerns with police unless contacted, and was instructed not to speak with police if they contacted her directly.

The matter later became a homicide investigation, and Queensland Police made a formal request for information about the missing woman. The claim alleges the Public Trustee provided documents to investigators but did not provide Ms Davis’s earlier email containing information she believed could assist police.

Ms Davis further alleges that before speaking with police, a supervisor sought to find out what she intended to say, tried to sit in on the call, and instructed her to “stick to facts”, “not be dramatic” and “only tell them what they ask”.

According to the claim, when Ms Davis spoke with police and explained that she had raised concerns internally approximately two weeks earlier, the officer reacted with words to the effect of: “Why didn’t you call us?!” and “Whaaat?!”, expressing extreme upset that the information had not been made available to police at that time.

Ms Davis alleges the interaction left her terrified she would either be in trouble with her employer for speaking up or with police if she remained silent.

“I was only young and trying to do the right thing,” Ms Davis said.

“I raised concerns because I genuinely believed the information could be important, but instead I felt increasingly frightened, conflicted and unsupported. I felt trapped between what I was being told internally and what I thought morally I should do.”

Ms Davis said the experience had significantly affected her confidence, mental health and trust in workplaces and authority figures.

“I am speaking out because I don’t want another young worker to feel pressured into staying silent when they believe something is wrong,” Ms Davis said.

Ms Davis’s father, Ben Davis, said the family believed the case raised broader concerns about how young workers are supported when navigating ethically confronting situations inside powerful institutions.

“Kylah was not too soft for public service,” Mr Davis said.

“She was exactly the kind of person the public service should want: careful, honest, compassionate and serious about doing the right thing.

“It would be easy to paint her as a young person who could not handle a difficult situation, but that is not what happened. She found herself caught between the instructions from her supervisors and what she believed was the right thing to do.

“She was nineteen. She was trying to do the right thing. The imbalance was stark. On one side was a young worker. On the other was a major public institution with authority, power and resources.

“Most parents would hope their child would act with the same integrity that Kylah did.”

Personal injury lawyer Travis Schultz from Travis Schultz & Partners said that while he could not comment on the evidence in the case, it was not uncommon to see significant psychological harm arise in young or vulnerable workers exposed to difficult workplace situations.

“In my work, I see every day the reality that psychological injury can be just as disabling, if not more so, than physical injury suffered by workers,” Mr Schultz said.

“There is growing recognition of the psychological harm that can arise when young or vulnerable workers are exposed to confronting situations without adequate support. In Queensland, every employer – including government agencies – has a duty to manage psychosocial risks just as seriously as physical safety risks.”

Ms Davis’s Statement of Claim alleges the Public Trustee breached its duty of care by failing to provide a safe and supportive workplace, failing to provide adequate training and instructions, and failing to take reasonable steps to eliminate the risk – or foreseeable risk – of psychiatric injury.

The State of Queensland filed a notice of intention to defend on 10 October 2025.

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Media contact: Trudie Abel, Fresh PR & Marketing | 0408 119 443 | trudie@freshprm.com.au

About Travis Schultz & Partners 

Travis Schultz & Partners was established in 2018 by founding Managing Partner Travis Schultz on the guiding values of fairness, respect and expertise. Today, the award-winning, nationally recognised compensation law firm is home to Queensland’s largest team of Personal Injury Accredited Specialists among its more than 70 staff. The firm services clients across the state from offices in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and Cairns.