The horrific discovery of a decomposing body of a woman wrapped in plastic was only noticed after an early morning jogger was distracted by an odd smell in the park near Sydney Airport.
Emergency services were called following reports a body had been found in bushland in Sir Joseph Banks Park, Botany, about 7am on Monday.
A major police investigation is underway after a body was found dumped and wrapped in plastic in bushland near Sydney Airport. Picture: NewsWire/ Monique Harmer
Police closed off the scene on Foreshore Rd at Botany on Monday. Picture: NewsWire/ Monique Harmer
Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said police were investigating the alleged murder and were working hard to identify the victim.
“At this stage, we are treating it as a suspicious death,” he said.
“There may be people out there who are missing a loved one.
“(She) could be someone’s mother, daughter, sister … friend.”
Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty says police are yet to identify the body of a woman found in Botany on Monday. Picture: NewsWire/ Monique Harmer
The Daily Telegraph reported the jogger who discovered the body had smelt the stench during their morning run before contacting police.
Superintendent Doherty said the degree of decomposition was making it difficult to identify the body but he urged anyone with information to contact police.
“Unfortunately the body was in a severe state of decomposition, so that makes the timeline a bit more difficult, so we’re looking at days or weeks that the body may have been there,” he said.
“The body was covered in plastic in an attempt to hide the body … not far from the footpath … and at this stage we are treating it as a suspicious death, for obvious reasons.
“It’s a gruesome discovery, but it’s a very tragic situation, a female has lost her life and been found … we now need to determine what the story is.”