Homicide squad detectives will help review a Chinese national’s death more than a decade after she was found in the Sydney home where she was a live-in nanny.
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Tian Shuqing was apparently found unconscious in the Sutherland Shire home of her employer at about 5pm on August 7, 2002.
But an ambulance was not called for more than four hours, while her employer and family tried to revive her.
She was admitted to hospital after 10pm that night, with nursing staff alerting police due to the ‘‘bilateral bruises on neck’’. But it appears no investigation of any substance was carried out.
Earlier this year, lawyers for Mrs Tian’s husband, Han Chao, sent a brief of evidence to Police Minister Michael Gallacher to launch a fresh inquiry, arguing ‘‘the simplest of investigative procedures’’ was not followed around the time of her death.
The material was then forwarded to detectives for review.
‘‘Parramatta Local Area Command is conducting additional inquiries into Tian Shuqing’s death and the Homicide Squad will provide assistance to the Command,’’ a spokeswoman for Mr Gallacher told Fairfax Media.
A further statement from NSW police said officers were ‘‘reviewing the matter’’ but it had ‘‘yet to be finalised.’’
Mr Han’s solicitor Patrick Conaghan said his client was pleased the case had been reopened.
‘‘Mr Han just wants to find out how his wife died, and hopes one day police can give him those answers,’’ he said.
Mrs Tian was working for a Chinese national (whom Fairfax Media has declined to name), his wife, his two children and his parents at the time of her death.
When she was admitted to hospital shortly after 10pm that day, Mrs Tian was noted to be suffering some serious bruising to her neck, which her employer told hospital workers had been caused by his mother ‘‘squeezing the neck with her fingers to wake [her] up’’.
Earlier this year, Mr Conaghan told Fairfax Media that in the months before her death, Mrs Tian had made many complaints to her husband about physical and sexual harassment directed towards her by her employer's father within the home.
"We are in possession of a letter, which is currently being translated, from the deceased to Han alleging the same conduct,'' Mr Conaghan said. ''In addition, we are instructed that the deceased also complained of disharmony between her and [her employer] in relation to her treatment by him, working conditions and unpaid wages."
Mr Han's visa had expired and he was back in China when he received a call that his wife had been found unconscious. Medical records reveal the timeline and the admissions regarding her injuries, which prompted nursing staff to contact a social worker and police.
''Noted bilateral bruises on neck,'' the hospital notes read. ''Patient referred to social worker. Patient's employer requested to visit patient … explained to [him] and his wife that currently we were allowing no visitors to the patient until social worker was involved.''
The registrar of the intensive care unit at Westmead Hospital contacted Parramatta police, who attended the hospital the day following Mrs Tian's admission. However, it appears Mrs Tian's case was pursued no further, with notes recording Mrs Tian could be ''washed and linen changed … as police are not intending to have a criminal investigation into patient's neck bruises [therefore] not for forensic [review]''.
Mr Conaghan, a former detective in the NSW Police, said the circumstances of Mrs Tian's death should have raised serious questions.
"Who found her, and in what circumstances? Why she wasn't taken to hospital for five hours? Why was the employer and his mother not questioned about the neck injuries? And, if it is to be accepted that the deceased was home alone from 9am to 5pm on the day she collapsed, why was that the case when she was supposed to be looking after the children? Where was the rest of the family - including [her employer's] parents?"
Mrs Tian did not regain consciousness and died on August 16. A death certificate states she died of a brainstem infarction, a large subdural haemorrhage, an intracerebral haemorrhage and hypertension. However, Mr Han is adamant his wife never suffered hypertension, and is unsure how this came to form part of her records.
