A 36 year old Queensland man has been arrested in New South Wales as homicide detectives investigate the death of a Brisbane woman found at a rural property south of the city.
Queensland Police say the man from Buccan in Logan was arrested in Kempsey on Monday after inquiries into the death of a 46 year old woman earlier the same day.
He is expected to face court in NSW on Tuesday while detectives from Logan District and specialist investigators travel south to speak with him about the matter.
Police were called in after the woman was reported missing from Ashgrove in Brisbane’s inner north west early on Monday morning.
Officers then carried out a welfare check at a home on Waterford Tamborine Road in Buccan where they found her body about 3.15am.
Investigators said the woman had sustained injuries and no one else was at the property when police arrived.
Detectives believe the woman had been providing care to the male resident of the address and are working to confirm the nature of the relationship through her employment.
Acting Detective Inspector Justin Anderson said “My team of detectives are trying to determine the exact relationship through her employment at this stage.”
Police said the woman was last seen about 7pm on Saturday after dropping a relative at a house in The Gap with family later raising concerns when her whereabouts became unknown.
A crime scene has been established at the Buccan property and investigators are awaiting forensic and post mortem results to determine the cause of death.
While details of the investigation remain limited, the case is likely to sharpen focus on the risks faced by carers and support workers who often travel alone and enter private homes as part of their daily work.
The workforce has grown in recent years alongside rising demand for in-home assistance and incidents involving front line workers can quickly become matters for police, regulators and service providers.
Queensland Police have urged anyone with information including sightings or CCTV from the Buccan area and surrounding roads over the weekend, to contact Crime Stoppers.
