Daniel morcombe foundation marks 20 years of keeping children safe 20240625 p5ri2e.html – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Daniel Morcombe's parents mark 20 years of keeping children safe

Tom Livingstone

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Today

It's been just over 20 years since the abduction and murder of Queensland teenager Daniel Morcombe.

But through tragedy and heartbreak, his parents, Bruce and Denise, have created a lasting legacy in honour of their son.

For the past two decades, the Daniel Morcombe Foundation has been teaching children and parents about stranger danger and online safety and they told Today the work they are doing is "keeping Daniel's name alive".

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Daniel Morcombe Foundation

Daniel Morcombe was abducted and killed in 2003. Daniel Morcombe Foundation

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"We've been lucky enough to have a very high profile and with the support of the community, the public, businesses and really good staff, we've been able to continue to grow our legacy and our resources," Denise said.

With regular visits to Federal Parliament over the years, Bruce said empowering children through education was key to keeping them safe.

"We are making progress and recognise, react and report - it's vital for mums, dads, grandparents and children to appreciate the super importance of those three words," he said.

"They would have helped Daniel, they will definitely help youngsters of today, both in the real world and the online world."

Daniel was just 13 when he was abducted from underneath a Sunshine Coast highway overpass on December 7, 2003.

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The young boy was waiting for the bus to his local shopping centre, to get a haircut and Christmas presents, but when the scheduled bus broke down prior to arriving, Daniel was taken before its replacement arrived.

In 2013, after an extensive investigation by Queensland Police, former Sunshine Coast resident Brett Peter Cowan was found guilty of Daniel's murder.

Bruce and Denise Morcombe have been tirelessly working to keep children safe for the past two decades. Today

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Later this year, Bruce and Denise's foundation will mark 20 years of Day for Daniel, a special event held in honour of their son and keeping the children of Australia safe.

"It's an incredible milestone, but we want as many people to join us, not only in festivities on the day, but to learn and be educated about how to stay safe," Bruce said.

Hear what else Denise and Bruce had to say in the video above

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