Woman, 38, found dead in Tampines HDB unit after neighbours smell 'foul odour' for days

A 38-year-old woman living alone in a Tampines Housing and Development Board (HDB) unit was found dead after neighbours smelled a foul odour for days.

Police told Mothership that on Sep. 29 at about 8:25am, they received a call for assistance at Tampines Street 43.

A 38-year-old woman was found lying motionless in a residential unit and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deceased lived alone

At around 11am on Sep. 29, numerous police vehicles were seen parked below the block, Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min) reported.

Police had cordoned off the corridor of the affected fourth-floor unit for investigations.

A resident, surnamed Chen (transliteration), told Shin Min that the deceased had moved in about two years ago.

She had initially been staying with a friend, but after they quarrelled in 2024, she ended up living alone.

Chen said that it had been a few weeks since he saw the deceased.

After smelling a foul odour, Chen called the police, who arrived at the scene and found the body.

Kept to herself

According to the deceased's neighbour, the deceased largely kept to herself and had minimal interactions with the other residents.

The neighbour said that she heard that the deceased was unemployed, and her friends and family would visit her every few months.

The neighbour said that before the body's discovery, there was an odour for three to four days.

"We thought there was a dead rat nearby so we didn't give it much thought, but it turned out that she had died at home," the neighbour told Shin Min.

She added that garbage bags outside the deceased's home had not been cleared for about two weeks.

Police said that based on preliminary investigations, they do not suspect foul play.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Top image from Shin Min Daily News