A father and daughter living together in a Sengkang HDB flat had not been seen for a month and were found dead in their home on Monday (Oct 6). The father had died in the bedroom and decomposed into a skeleton, while the daughter’s body was discovered near the main door of the living room.
The incident happened around 1 pm on Monday (Oct 6) at a unit on the eighth floor of Block 324D Sengkang East Way.
Reporters from Shin Min Daily News were alerted to the discovery and saw police officers cordoning off part of the corridor and standing guard outside the unit. A woman’s body was seen lying on the living room floor.
A neighbour living on the same floor, Madam Ho (51), said the unit was previously home to a family of three. But after 2017, the elderly female occupant stopped appearing and was believed to have passed away, leaving only the father and daughter living there.
“They rarely spoke to neighbours, and the man was usually very quiet,” she said.
She added that the man usually wore shorts, a mask and a hat when going out, and was often seen carrying two packets of food back home.
“I tried greeting him, but he never responded. The last time I saw him was around July. The last time I saw his daughter was during Lunar New Year this year.”
Another neighbour, Jalan (69), said the pair never interacted with anyone and were last seen at the end of August.
“My front door is always open, so I can tell if they leave the house. The father still looked physically healthy, but I believe the daughter had mental health issues,” he said.
Jalan also shared that police had asked if he or his wife had heard any sounds of quarrelling from the unit, but they had not.
It is understood that the man’s remains were found in the bedroom and had decomposed into a skeleton. Further forensic tests are needed to confirm his identity.
Police confirmed they received a report of an unnatural death at the address. A spokesperson said that a man and a 47-year-old woman were found lying motionless inside the unit and were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigations are ongoing.
Blood water dripping from ceiling exposed the case
The gruesome discovery was triggered by a disturbing scene in the unit below, where a 70-year-old woman noticed blood-stained water dripping from her living room ceiling. The foul stench became unbearable, prompting her to call her son for help.
Her son, Mr Zeng (44), who works in advertising, said his mother called him around 6 am on Monday to report the dripping and smell. He arrived at about 9 am and tried to clean the liquid with tissue paper.
“The red liquid was sticky and smelled awful. Even after I left for work, I couldn’t shake off the smell. I called my mother again, and she said the stench was getting worse. The more I thought about it, the more wrong it felt, so I decided to call the police,” he recalled.
Mr Zeng said he is now worried about the cleanup and is seeking help from the authorities. His mother will temporarily stay with him.
