Image: Dean Lewins/AAP
The body of a woman has been found wrapped in plastic and dumped in bushes near Sydney airport, New South Wales Police allege.
The body was reported by a passerby at 7:30 on Monday morning, just meters from the footpath off Botany’s Foreshore Drive.
Police are working to identify the woman, who is in a “severe” state of decomposition. NSW Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said she could have been there for “days, weeks, if not longer”.
“At the moment she is a mystery woman. We don’t know who she is.”
Police are treating the woman’s death as suspicious and are consulting missing persons databases. Doherty said on Monday that it appeared she had been dumped in an “attempt to dispose and hide the body.”
“There’s someone’s loved one [that] doesn’t know the news here that their loved one’s … not only been killed but more than likely been murdered.”
Police appealing to public for help
A crime scene has been established, with the body remaining in place while forensic investigators sweep the area.
While Doherty said CCTV footage from the nearby industrial area would be reviewed, police are also appealing to the public for any dashcam or mobile phone footage.
“We’re seeking assistance from anyone who may have someone who’s a friend, who’s a female, who may be missing or someone who may know something.”
“It’s going to take some time for that crime scene to be conducted. The starting point for us is to have the victim identified,” Doherty said. “Once we get an identity … then we can start establishing movements and timelines.”
Police urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
Almost 100 women lost to violence in 2024
The discovery of this woman’s body marks the 96th Australian woman lost to violence in 2024.
In the time it has taken to write and publish this article, the body of a woman has been found in Kingscliff, making her the 97th killed this year.
Australia’s femicide crisis is being tracked by journalist Sherele Moody, who said that 2024 has been the worst year for femicides since she began documenting them nine years ago.
“We know that the Prime Minister can act really fast, for example, when the synagogue was firebombed here in Melbourne, the reaction was fast… but when we have 97 women killed, we can’t get any action at all,” Moody says.
“Most of these woman have been killed by men and we know that male violence is the predominate issue here, so we really need men to be taking control of this problem.”
“We really need some good, honest, straight-forward allies to step up and just be brave.”
If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Beyond Blue 1300 224 636, or Lifeline 131 114.
The men’s referral service which offers assistance, information, and counselling to help men who use family violence can be contacted on 1300 766 491.
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