Caregivers of the vulnerable shouldn't carry responsibility of care alone

Deaths of father and daughter in Sengkang flat highlight need to seek help from community

- Nadine Chua and Claudia Tan

When Mr Alvin Tan saw a police appeal photo of a woman found dead with her father in their Block 324D Sengkang East Way flat, he did a double take.

Mr Tan, 35, who lives three units below the pair, could hardly recognise her, as the unkempt woman he used to see at the block looked nothing like the youthful-looking 47-year-old in the picture.

The bodies were found on Oct 6 in a flat on the eighth floor.

The son of a resident living in the unit directly below theirs called the police after fluids, likely from the decomposing bodies, leaked from the ceiling, reported Shin Min Daily News.

The woman, identified by the police as Ms Xu Na, is believed to have had mental health issues, said residents.

Associate Professor Jamus Lim, an MP for Sengkang GRC who oversees the area, told The Straits Times: "We've checked through our records of appeals, as well as house visits, both this term and the last. We have, unfortunately, no records that the family has ever sought assistance from us."

He added: "We keep track of those who engage us, and those whom we engage during house visits, when there are specific follow ups to attend to."

He said help is being provided to the family on the seventh floor to clean up the biohazardous waste.

On Oct 7, the police appealed for Ms Xu’s next of kin to come forward. As at Oct 10, they were still appealing for family members to contact them on 1800-255-0000.

The father’s highly decomposed body was found in a bedroom, while the daughter was found near the main door in the living room, reported Shin Min Daily News.