A 53-year-old woman is under investigation after her 84-year-old mother was found dead at an aged care facility in Sydney’s west, with police alleging she administered an unknown substance to the elderly resident late on Thursday night.
Emergency services were called to Our Lady of Consolation on Evans Road, Rooty Hill, just before midnight after staff discovered the woman’s body inside the building. The deceased, who suffered from multiple medical conditions, was a resident at the facility.
The daughter, who had travelled from regional New South Wales, was found at the scene in a distressed state and was subsequently arrested. She was taken to Mount Druitt Hospital for assessment before being interviewed by detectives at Mount Druitt police station on Friday morning. A nine-year-old child who was also present at the time has since been placed in the care of relatives.
Police allege the woman administered a substance to her mother, though the nature of that substance has not yet been confirmed. Detective Superintendent Darrin Batchelor said investigators believed it was medical in nature but were awaiting further results.
“We don’t know exactly what that substance is at the moment,” Batchelor said. “A lot will be determined from the toxicology reports and the autopsy report.”
Batchelor confirmed the woman had no criminal history and was cooperating with investigators. She has since been released without charge, pending the outcome of the coroner’s inquiry.
Police are reviewing CCTV footage from the facility and examining the circumstances surrounding the woman’s late-night visit. Batchelor said it was too early to determine a motive, including whether the death involved any form of assisted dying.
“It’s really too early to determine what the motivation is at the moment, whether it was an assisted dying scenario, we really don’t know,” he said.
Voluntary assisted dying is legal in New South Wales but requires eligibility assessments and formal medical approvals before it can be carried out.
The cause of death will be determined by the coroner following toxicology testing and an autopsy. It is not yet known whether the woman will face charges, with any decision likely to depend on those findings.
Our Lady of Consolation chief executive David Maher said staff and the board were deeply affected by the incident and were supporting police with their investigation.
“Our thoughts are with their family and loved ones at this time,” Maher said. “We will continue to offer support to our residents and staff during this time.”
The facility cares for 336 residents and provides home services to nearly 3,000 additional clients across the region.
