Retired teacher, 81, found dead in Yishun flat after neighbours notice foul smell: ‘I thought she had gone on holiday’
An 81-year-old retired teacher who lived alone was found dead in her Yishun flat after residents alerted police to a foul smell in the corridor.
The incident happened at around 4.50pm on Nov 10 at a second floor unit of Block 343, Yishun Avenue 11.
A Shin Min Daily News reader told the paper that they had seen police officers at the block that evening.
When reporters visited the block later that day, a resident known as Mr Wu (transliterated) said a female neighbour had been found dead in her home.
The 66-year-old said he and his wife knew the deceased as Brenda.
She had lived with her family when she was younger, but her husband died several years ago. Her two sons moved out after getting married, leaving her to live alone since then.
“We rarely saw her children visiting her after that. We would usually see them only during Chinese New Year. Her grandchildren would occasionally visit her too. There was also an older man, possibly her brother, who would sometimes bring her food,” Wu said.
Wu described the deceased as a reserved and quiet person who used to work as a teacher. She also gave tuition to primary school pupils at home.
“I have been her neighbour for more than 30 years. My late mother was very close to her. She rarely interacted with the neighbours, but would greet us whenever we bumped into each other,” he said.
Neighbours noticed door was closed for several days
Wu’s wife, Sonia, a 55-year-old service staff member, said the deceased would usually leave her front door open in the morning and close it in the evening before settling down for the night.
However, she noticed that the door had remained closed since Nov 6.
She also noted that the deceased’s windows had been left open for several days, but there was an unusual silence coming from inside the flat.
“At first, I thought she had gone on holiday. Later, I noticed a strange smell that was difficult to describe. I asked my husband to check, but we did not call the police then,” she said.
She said the smell became much stronger on the morning of Nov 10, prompting them to wear masks. Suspecting that someone might have died inside the flat, she urged her husband to call the police.
“Only after the police arrived to investigate did I confirm that the auntie had passed away. Officers later carried her body out. I feel sad about what happened, as we had been neighbours for so many years,” she said.
In response to Stomp’s queries, police said they received a call for assistance at about 4.50pm on Nov 10.
Upon arriving, officers found an 81-year-old woman lying motionless in the unit. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Preliminary investigations found no foul play. Police investigations are ongoing.
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