Woman found dead in Sengkang flat with father’s remains relied on him for food: Coroner
Ms Xu Na, 47, weighed just 24kg when she was found with the skeletal remains of her 75-year-old father in the HDB flat they shared.
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SINGAPORE: The woman who was found dead with her father’s skeletal remains in the same Housing Board (HDB) flat weighed just 24kg when her body was discovered.
Ms Xu Na, 47, likely suffered from psychiatric issues and it was clear that she needed help, based on the experience of the family’s neighbours, said State Coroner Adam Nakhoda on Friday (May 15).
She was likely fully dependent on her 75-year-old father, Mr Xu Baolu, for her nutritional needs, he added, noting that neighbours said he would buy food for her every day.
Their bodies were discovered on Oct 6, 2025, in an HDB flat at Block 324D Sengkang East Way, after a neighbour made a police report about a leak from the ceiling.
Delivering an open verdict on the inquiries into both their deaths, the coroner stressed that there was no evidence of foul play.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
Mr Xu, whom the coroner described as reclusive, did not have close friends or acquaintances. Neighbours said they had not seen the family receive any visitors.
He was deeply devoted to his daughter, the coroner said, adding: “Attention he paid to his daughter may have been to his own detriment as he may have neglected his own health.”
The coroner noted that there was no evidence that the 75-year-old had gone for medical check-ups or seen a doctor when he was unwell, and that any chronic illnesses he may have had would have gone undiagnosed.
Ms Xu was seen by doctors at the Institute of Mental Health in 2022. While she suffered from psychosis then, she did not return to the hospital to get a confirmed diagnosis or treatment for her condition, the court heard.
Her mental health issues were likely so debilitating that she was unable to function without her father’s assistance.
“It would appear she was fully dependent on him for her nutritional needs, as evidence from her neighbours was that he would purchase food for her daily,” the coroner said.
He noted that the father and daughter were not financially strapped, with Mr Xu making monthly withdrawals of S$500 (US$391) from a bank account.
The last withdrawal was made on Jun 3, 2025. Mr Xu was last seen alive by one of his neighbours in June or July that year, when she saw him bring food back to his flat.
One of the laptops found in the unit was last used on Jun 18, 2025. The state coroner concluded that Mr Xu likely died on his bed in his bedroom in late June or early July that year.
“Once he had passed away, Ms Xu, due to her mental health issues, was unable perhaps to deal with his death, and as a result he was left unattended and began to decompose on the bed,” he said.
This timeline also lined up with the first time neighbours reported a foul smell to the town council in July.
As Mr Xu died on his bed, his bodily fluids were absorbed by the mattress while his body decomposed. If the fluids had instead seeped into the floor, Mr Xu’s death may have been discovered earlier, said the coroner.
On Jun 29, 2025, Ms Xu had an interaction with the police at a convenience store. Based on her neighbours’ recollection, she was likely last seen alive in August or September that year, he added.
After her father died, Ms Xu could not take care of herself – not due to financial reasons, but because she likely could not go out and buy food for herself, said the coroner.
He noted that Ms Xu was malnourished when her body was found, weighing only 24kg. This may have contributed to her death, he added.
There were no signs of a possible suicide or trauma, no external or internal injuries, and no evidence that their house had been ransacked, said the coroner, concluding that there was no foul play in her death.
Similarly, there were no signs of trauma in Mr Xu’s death. It was not possible to determine if he died due to natural disease or unnatural causes such as the ingestion of substances due to the state of his skeletal remains, he added.
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