Salad shop owner distressed by work injury claim found soaked at Changi Beach Park a day before death, Singapore News

A resident who encountered her in a lift asked whether she lived in the block, to which she replied that she was visiting someone.

As the resident alighted from the lift, the woman told her: “Have a good day.”

She was subsequently found at the foot of the block and pronounced dead by a Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedic at 7.30am.

Police later found a suicide note on her laptop.

The inquiry also heard that the woman had sought medical attention for depression in June 2025 and was prescribed medication.

She told her doctor that she felt guilty about being unable to spend enough time with her children because of work, and that her business was facing difficulties.

However, the doctor said she had not displayed any suicidal tendencies at the time.

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Troubled by work injury compensation claim

The woman’s husband told the inquiry that she had been troubled by the employee’s work injury compensation claim.

Although the employee’s medical expenses were covered by insurance, the repeated arrival of medical bills caused the shop owner additional stress.

She later received a lawyer’s letter from the employee seeking compensation for total permanent disability, leaving her extremely worried.

Her husband said he had repeatedly reassured her, and that she had not displayed any suicidal tendencies at the time.

Under the Work Injury Compensation Act, workers injured in workplace accidents before Nov 1, 2025, who are assessed to have suffered permanent incapacity may receive compensation calculated based on their monthly earnings.

The minimum compensation payable is $97,000, which may be covered by insurance.

Shop owner repeatedly contacted MOM over claim

Investigations revealed that the woman had spoken to an MOM officer over the phone at 3pm on July 18 regarding the work injury compensation claim.

She expressed suspicions that the employee had faked the injury.

The officer explained that the insurer was handling the claim and that she could provide it with any additional information she had.

Police also found two emails the woman had sent to MOM on her laptop.

In one email, she questioned why the employee was still able to walk normally after being injured.

In another email sent on July 14, she asked MOM to investigate whether there were any issues with the employee’s claim.

She also asked whether she would be liable for additional medical expenses if the employee’s estimated medical costs differed significantly from the actual amount.

The investigating officer said police and MOM had launched investigations into the employee’s work injury claim, but did not disclose whether they had been completed.

ST reported that the woman’s husband, who attended the inquiry with his father, broke down as the investigating officer testified.

Police said they did not suspect foul play in the woman’s death and had classified the case as suicide.

The coroner will deliver the findings of the inquiry at a later date.

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This article was first published in Stomp. Permission required for reproduction.