Salad shop owner distressed by work injury claim found soaked at Changi Beach Park a day before death
An inquiry into the death of a salad shop owner has heard that she was found soaked from head to toe at Changi Beach Park in an apparent attempt to take her own life, a day before her fatal fall from an HDB block.
Her husband said that she had been deeply distressed after receiving multiple medical bills and a lawyer’s letter regarding a foreign employee’s work injury compensation claim.
The 44-year-old mother of two died on July 19, 2025, after sharing Facebook posts in the early hours of July 18 alleging that an employee had faked an injury in a bid to file a false compensation claim.
“I’m truly sorry that I couldn’t find the strength to face this battle on my own,” she wrote in one of the posts.
Following her death, several netizens and fellow business owners paid tribute to her, with one netizen fondly recalling how she had given him delivery jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic.
On July 24, 2025, Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) was investigating the suspected fraudulent work injury claim flagged by the shop owner.
A gag order has been imposed to protect the identities of the deceased’s family members and all witnesses.
Found soaked on the grass at Changi Beach Park
According to Lianhe Zaobao, the coroner’s inquiry on Oct 8, 2026, heard that the woman had apparently attempted to take her own life at about 3am on July 18, a day before her death.
She was found lying on the grass at Changi Beach Park, soaked from head to toe.
According to a police officer, the woman appeared intoxicated, and her speech was slurred, but she was able to communicate that she had been “cheated out of money”.
The Straits Times reported that she also told the officer she wanted to take her own life.
Police apprehended her under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act and took her to Changi General Hospital before she was transferred to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).
An IMH doctor recommended that she remain in hospital, but she and her husband requested her discharge despite being warned of the risks, ST reported. She was discharged against medical advice the same day.
Appeared her usual self on the day of her death
Before leaving home on the morning of July 19, the woman told her husband that she was going out to exercise.
Her husband assumed she was heading to Bukit Timah Hill, where she usually went, and said nothing appeared unusual about her routine.
According to ST, CCTV footage showed the woman entering a lift at an HDB block near her home at around 7am.
A resident who encountered her in a lift asked whether she lived in the block, to which she replied that she was visiting someone.
As the resident alighted from the lift, the woman told her: “Have a good day.”
She was subsequently found at the foot of the block and pronounced dead by a Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedic at 7.30am.
Police later found a suicide note on her laptop.
The inquiry also heard that the woman had sought medical attention for depression in June 2025 and was prescribed medication.
She told her doctor that she felt guilty about being unable to spend enough time with her children because of work, and that her business was facing difficulties.
However, the doctor said she had not displayed any suicidal tendencies at the time.
Troubled by work injury compensation claim
The woman’s husband told the inquiry that she had been troubled by the employee’s work injury compensation claim.
Although the employee’s medical expenses were covered by insurance, the repeated arrival of medical bills caused the shop owner additional stress.
She later received a lawyer’s letter from the employee seeking compensation for total permanent disability, leaving her extremely worried.
Her husband said he had repeatedly reassured her, and that she had not displayed any suicidal tendencies at the time.
Under the Work Injury Compensation Act, workers injured in workplace accidents before Nov 1, 2025, who are assessed to have suffered permanent incapacity may receive compensation calculated based on their monthly earnings.
The minimum compensation payable is $97,000, which may be covered by insurance.
Shop owner repeatedly contacted MOM over claim
Investigations revealed that the woman had spoken to an MOM officer over the phone at 3pm on July 18 regarding the work injury compensation claim.
She expressed suspicions that the employee had faked the injury.
The officer explained that the insurer was handling the claim and that she could provide it with any additional information she had.
Police also found two emails the woman had sent to MOM on her laptop.
In one email, she questioned why the employee was still able to walk normally after being injured.
In another email sent on July 14, she asked MOM to investigate whether there were any issues with the employee’s claim.
She also asked whether she would be liable for additional medical expenses if the employee’s estimated medical costs differed significantly from the actual amount.
The investigating officer said police and MOM had launched investigations into the employee’s work injury claim, but did not disclose whether they had been completed.
ST reported that the woman’s husband, who attended the inquiry with his father, broke down as the investigating officer testified.
Police said they did not suspect foul play in the woman’s death and had classified the case as suicide.
The coroner will deliver the findings of the inquiry at a later date.
Helplines
Mental well-being
- National helpline: 1771 (24 hours) / 6669-1771 (via WhatsApp)
- Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp)
- Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
- Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928
- Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1
- Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)
- The Seniors Helpline: 1800-555-5555 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm)
Counselling
- Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252
- Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555
- Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366
- We Care Community Services: 3165-8017
- Shan You Counselling Centre: 6741-9293
- Clarity Singapore: 6757-7990
Online resources
- mindline.sg/fsmh
- eC2.sg
- tinklefriend.sg
- chat.mentalhealth.sg
- carey.carecorner.org.sg (for those aged 13 to 25)
- limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25)
- shanyou.org.sg
Explore more on these topics
See something interesting? Contribute your story to us.
