The partner of a woman seen “hanging” from a seventh-storey balcony in Sydney’s west moments before her death on Thursday morning has been released without charge after spending several hours in custody.
Speaking outside Parramatta police station on Thursday afternoon, Detective Superintendent Barry Vincent said the death was being treated as suspicious but that details were “complex”.
The man had an apprehended violence order in place for his protection. He was arrested on Thursday before being released without charge pending further investigations into his partner’s death.
Police were called at 11.45pm by someone in the apartment on River Road West in Parramatta, where only background noise, including raised voices, could be heard.
The phone number from which the call was made did not belong to the man.
Police called back twice and spoke to the man, who provided his name and address. They told the man they would attend the apartment later that evening.
At 1.40am, police received calls from a passerby that a woman was “hanging” from her balcony. Police arrived within minutes and the woman was found lying in the driveway with multiple serious injuries.
Despite the efforts of police officers who performed CPR on the woman, she died at the scene.
Vincent said a strike force had been established to investigate the circumstances of the fall and the police response. He said the two-hour delay between the first call and their attendance would be investigated, but the initial call didn’t warrant an emergency response.
[Ed: Another case demonstrating the failure of the AVO system to keep women safe.]
Source: Woman dead after Parramatta balcony plunge, man in custody