Strike force launched to investigate womans body found in Muswellbrook

The police response to a mental health episode and the later discovery of a dead woman has been declared a critical incident investigation as mystery surrounds the tragic find.

About 8.30pm on Monday, emergency services were called to a Sydney St property in Muswellbrook in regional NSW over concerns for a woman’s welfare.

Police officers entered the property and found the body of a woman believed to be aged in her 60s.

Strike Force Llangollen and homicide officers are investigating the circumstances of her death and say the discovery is connected to an earlier interaction with a second woman on the same day.

About 7.20am on Monday, police attended the same Sydney St address on a welfare check and spoke with a 52-year-old woman before leaving the scene a short time later.

Then shortly before 7pm, officers attended a licensed premises, also on Sydney St, after reports of a woman behaving in an erratic manner.

Police attended and spoke with a 52-year-old woman outside the club before she was arrested and taken to Muswellbrook Police Station.

The 52-year-old woman was later taken to the Mater Hospital under police guard for an assessment.

The police then returned to the property from the morning and found the woman’s body.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Scott Tanner said police from the Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were now conducting a critical incident investigation surrounding the circumstances of the police response across the day.

“Police have a view of all the circumstances surrounding the matter, and we wish to have an independent body have a look at the investigation and the response of the police,” he said.

That investigation will be subject to an independent review.

Mr Tanner said police believed the two women were known to each other and were investigating the nature of the relationship between them.

He said the police were waiting on confirmation on the cause of death, but there appeared to be “some kind of physical intervention”.

The dead woman has not been positively identified, but the police believe they know who she is.

Sydney St remains closed between Mitchell St and Barrett St due to the ongoing police investigations.

They are expected to take some time, according to Live Traffic.

Drivers are urged to allow extra travel time or consider using Thomas Mitchell Drive in both directions to avoid delays.

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