NSW Police will investigate why it took almost an hour to respond to a concern for welfare call where a woman was allegedly murdered by her domestic partner in the state’s north on Saturday morning.
Police said a concern for welfare call was made to a home on Johnston Street, Casino shortly after 1:30am.
Northern Region Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said the call was acknowledged by a radio operator almost an hour later at 2:25am, with officers attending the home two minutes after they were notified.
Assistant Commissioner Mr McKenna said when officers arrived they found a woman, believed to be in her 40s, with “obvious injuries to her head” after an apparent physical assault.
“She was unconscious but breathing. Police assisted her and called for ambulance immediately.
“Ambulance arrived very shortly thereafter, but unfortunately her condition deteriorated and she died at the scene.”
A 31-year-old man, who police allege was known to the woman, was arrested and charged with one count of murder.
He has been refused bail and is due to appear in Lismore bail court on Sunday.
‘I wish we heard her earlier’
The woman’s neighbour, Beth Ferguson, made the call to police after hearing a disturbance at the property.
She said she can’t understand why this happened.
“I just wish we heard her earlier, maybe we could have saved her from whatever was happening,” Ms Ferguson said.
“It’s going to stick with me for a while I think.”
She said she had known the woman for about four years and described her as a “good person”.
Assistant Commissioner McKenna said a critical incident had been declared with NSW Police to investigate the response time, and why the incident was not deemed a higher priority by emergency dispatchers.
“The delay in the timing of police acknowledging that call and attending the scene has given me enough concern,” he said.
“That’s why I’ve asked for an independent review of this investigation as to what that delay was and if it was justified or otherwise.”
He added that officers were in Casino when the initial report was made to police.
“Certainly, when they [the responding officers] acknowledge the call, they were nearby and it took them only two minutes to attend the location,” he said.
“What they were doing prior to that and what other jobs were happening at the time will form part of the investigation.”
That investigation, coordinated by the Tweed-Byron Police District, will be subject to an independent review, according to a statement from NSW Police.
Assistant Commissioner McKenna said domestic violence is something police put “at the top of our priority list”.
“We take domestic violence extremely seriously … it’s something we prioritise every single day and is one of the main parts of our job.”
Police, including forensic investigation units, have established a crime scene at the house in Casino, which is located approximately 30 kilometres west of Lismore.
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