An 84-year-old woman was found dead in an aged care home in Sydney's outer west on Thursday night, with police alleging her daughter administered an unknown substance. Emergency services were called to Our Lady of Consolation aged care home in Rooty Hill around 11:35pm on Thursday. Police officers located the body of the elderly woman inside the building.
Arrest at the scene
A 53-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and taken to Mount Druitt hospital for medical assessment. Police confirmed she is the daughter of the deceased. Supt Darrin Batchelor said the daughter was distressed when police arrived.
“What we believe at this stage is that the 53-year-old female allegedly administered a substance to the older woman,” Batchelor told reporters on Friday. “We don’t know exactly what that substance is at the moment and whether it contributed to her passing last night.”
Investigation ongoing
Batchelor noted the daughter has no criminal history or medical training and has been compliant with officers. “It’s really too early to determine what the motivation is at the moment, whether it was an assisted dying scenario, we really don’t know,” he said. The daughter has since been transferred to the local police station where she remains in custody.
A nine-year-old boy was present on the night but is now in the care of his family, Batchelor said. A crime scene has been established and evidence is being collected by a forensic team. A toxicology and autopsy report is being prepared as the investigation continues.
