A young woman, 23, who got dressed up and headed out for a bottle of wine is later found dead in the bush - but this is why her shattered mother is adamant she didn't take her own life

Pictured: The last photo Janet Gardner took of her daughter Sarah Brown before she was found dead

The heartbroken mother of a young woman who got dressed up to buy a bottle of wine and was found dead in the bush seven days later is adamant her daughter couldn't have taken her own life because she was excited for the future.

Sarah Brown was wearing a full face of make-up, a summer dress and thongs when her body was discovered by a friend in bushland near her home in the Gympie suburb of Victory Heights, north of Brisbane, one week after she went missing on June 7. 

Police previously told Daily Mail Australia that her death was 'clearly a suicide' based on what they found at the scene and autopsy results, and doubled down on their statement on Wednesday and said 'nothing in the investigation has changed'.

But Sarah's mother Janet Gardner says the cops are wrong.

The mother-of-two does not believe Sarah walked into the bush by herself because she was 'terrified of spiders and moths and bugs', and says she wasn't physically able to take her life in the way police say she did because she had a hand injury.

Police say Sarah's death is not being treated as suspicious, but her mother says otherwise

Janet Gardner and her daughter Sarah Brown (pictured together) had a close relationship and talked about 'everything'

Ms Gardner said Sarah loved her dog (pictured with Sarah) and wouldn't have gone anywhere without him 

'Sarah had a really bad hand because of her drug use, so I don't believe she could have done it herself,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'We also had plans to meet the next day - she found a place to move into in Brisbane where she had enrolled in a beauty course and I was going to meet her in Gympie to help her move. She hated Gympie and couldn't wait to get out.'

Ms Gardner and Sarah had arranged to meet at McDonald's at 9.30am on Tuesday June 8, the day after police say she was last seen alive.

She drove from her home two hours north-west of Gympie and didn't know Sarah was missing, so she waited for hours at the fast-food chain - growing increasingly frustrated and worried because it was unlike her daughter not to show up.

She also said she spoke to the young woman on the phone on June 7 and didn't think Sarah sounded 'off'. 

Ms Gardner (pictured with Sarah Brown) said her daughter sounded normal on the phone, the day before she went missing

Janet Gardner said Sarah loved animals and had a 'heart of gold'

Sarah Brown landed in a string of abusive relationships throughout her life, but her mother said she was proactive in turning her situation around

'I know my daughter. We're very very close. I can tell where she's at by what's in her voice and I didn't hear anything,' Ms Gardner said.

The 23-year-old also posted on Facebook several hours before she disappeared at about 5pm on June 7 to say she was 'feeling positive'. 

The mother explained that they were so close because they both found themselves in abusive situations, and often spoke about difficult topics - like suicide.

'We talked about things like that - I knew everything, and she would have made a scene about it if she was going to do something silly,' she said. 

When describing Sarah, Ms Gardner said she had a 'heart of gold' that others often took advantage of, which is how she found herself in a string of abusive relationships throughout her short life.

She landed in priority housing at various points because some situations were so dangerous and, to cope with the pain and trauma, she turned to illicit substances. 

Sarah Brown appeared to be in positive spirits several hours before she disappeared. Pictured is her last Facebook post

Pictured: Janet Gardner and her daughter Sarah when she was a child growing up in Queensland

Despite her history with drugs, her mother said Sarah was a naturally happy and smiley person who was optimistic about the future.

'Sarah was courageous,' she said.

'If she saw someone being hurt, she'd protect them. She'd give a homeless person her last $5.'

But Queensland Police defended the heartbroken mother's claims to Daily Mail Australia and insisted they conducted thorough inquiries.

'Police commenced an investigation on June 10 when Ms Brown was reported missing. Detectives liaised with the Missing Persons Unit and conducted extensive inquiries to locate Ms Brown,' a spokesman said.

'Gympie Detectives used all methodologies available to them to locate Ms Brown. Tragically, Ms Brown was located deceased on June 14.

'Based on scientific and autopsy results her death is not being treated as suspicious.'

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