A BABY boy may have been left alone with the body of his mother for almost two days before he was rescued from a unit in Yarraville last night.
The 15-month-old child was taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital suffering
from dehydration after police discovered the boy with the body of a 25-year-old
woman inside a unit about 9pm.
Police are no longer at the home on Tongue Street, near Somerville Road, but
are treating the woman’s death as suspicious.
Sergeant Mark Anderson from Footscray police said the toddler was found near
his mother on the lounge room floor.
He said dealing with incidents involving children was the hardest part of the
job.
“He was very clingy, he didn’t want to be let go,” Sergeant Anderson
said.
It is believed the child was wearing his pyjamas and his mother was fully
clothed. An off-duty police member was called about the death when a passer-by
noticed the woman’s body through a rear window.
The apartment was tidy, there were no signs of injury and there was no drug
paraphernalia found nearby.
Sergeant Anderson said police had visited the property before, however he
said he did not believe those visits were connected to her death.
Neighbour Brenton Dohse said the woman and her son often walked past his
house.
“My wife and I feel for her and her family,” Mr Dohse said.
“She constantly doted over her little boy. He’s had a troubled start in life, I hope it works out for him.”
Mr Dohse said he was disturbed that the woman may have died more than a day
before her body was found.
He said he saw two women and paramedics knock on her door yesterday about
midday, but they left when they got no response.
Another neighbour was in tears this morning as he described the tragedy.
“She was always laughing and playing with him,” said the man, who did not
wish to be named. He said the little boy had just learned to walk.
The man said police and community workers had visited the house at different
times on Monday morning, but had left after the door went unanswered. He said he
heard the baby crying after they left, but thought nothing of it.
Kapil Pradham, who lived in a flat above the woman, said he did not hear the
baby boy cry.
He said he had seen police at the flat before.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said an autopsy was expected to be conducted on
the woman’s body today or tomorrow to determine the cause of death.
The woman is believed to have died on Monday, with her body not discovered
until late last night.
“Police are treating her death as suspicious but the autopsy results will
give them a good indication of what has happened,” she said.
Police were called to the home about 9pm after concerns were raised for the
woman’s welfare.
Ambulance Victoria spokesman Paul Bentley said the baby was taken to the
Royal Children’s Hospital in a stable condition.
Anyone with information about the woman’s death has been urged to contact
Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit
www.crimestoppers.com.au.
