{"id":91391,"date":"2026-10-09T01:33:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T17:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=91391"},"modified":"2026-10-09T01:33:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T17:33:00","slug":"business-owner-who-died-after-workplace-injury-claim-was-discharged-from-imh-against-advice-police","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=91391","title":{"rendered":"Business owner who died after workplace injury claim was discharged from IMH against advice: Police"},"content":{"rendered":"


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SINGAPORE \u2013 A business owner who died after making Facebook posts alleging that one of her employees made a fake workplace injury claim against her attempted suicide days before her death.<\/p>\n

She was later discharged from\u00a0the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) against medical advice.<\/p>\n

She died the next day.<\/p>\n

On Oct 8, the first day of a coroner\u2019s inquiry into her death, police investigation officer Ong Hui Xian testified in court about the circumstances surrounding the incident.<\/p>\n

There is a court-imposed gag order to protect the identity of her next-of-kin. Due to this, The Straits Times is not naming her or her business.<\/p>\n

On July 19, 2025, the 44-year-old mother of two was found dead at the foot of a block at about 7am.<\/p>\n

Her injuries were consistent with those sustained from a fall from height, the autopsy report showed.<\/p>\n

Ong said the woman had gone to a beach on July 17, 2025, where she consumed alcohol.<\/p>\n

She had visited the psychiatric department at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital for depression in June 2025 and was prescribed medication.<\/p>\n

At about 2.45am on July 18, 2025, a police officer found the woman lying at a beach. She appeared intoxicated, incoherent and drenched in water.<\/p>\n

The woman told the police officer she wanted to take her own life and was taken to Changi General Hospital.<\/p>\n

Later that day, she was transferred to IMH. Ong said the woman and her husband requested that she be discharged, despite being warned of the risks.<\/p>\n

She was discharged on July 18, 2025, against medical advice.<\/p>\n

According to an earlier statement from her husband, she was quiet after her discharge from IMH, but mentioned she was stressed about the workplace injury claim.<\/p>\n

He told her not to worry about it as the insurer was handling the matter.<\/p>\n

Ong testified that the woman had spoken to a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) officer at about 3pm on July 18, 2025, about the claim.<\/p>\n

The officer asked the woman if she needed help with her employee\u2019s medical expenses, and the woman said no.<\/p>\n

However, the woman mentioned she suspected the worker was faking the injury.<\/p>\n

The MOM officer told her to share this information with the insurer as it was assessing the claim.<\/p>\n

No information was provided in court about the MOM investigations into the workplace injury claim.<\/p>\n

Ong said the woman sounded calm, receptive and composed over the phone.<\/p>\n

As Ong was testifying, the woman\u2019s husband, who was in court with his father, broke down.<\/p>\n

When State Coroner Adam Nakhoda asked if he required a short adjournment of the hearing, the man said he saw some photos in court documents which triggered him, but requested the hearing continue.<\/p>\n

Her death<\/h2>\n

Before 7am on July 19, 2025, the woman told her husband she was going out to exercise.<\/p>\n

Her husband assumed she would be going to Bukit Timah Hill, where she usually went.<\/p>\n

CCTV footage from the block where she was found showed the woman entering the lift at around 7am.<\/p>\n

A resident who spoke to the woman in the lift asked if she lived in the block, and the woman replied that she was visiting someone.<\/p>\n

As the resident alighted from the lift, the woman said to her: \u201cHave a good day.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was found at the foot of the block and a Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedic pronounced her dead at 7.30am.<\/p>\n

Police officers found her car keys in the block and traced them back to the vehicle, which was owned by the woman and her husband.<\/p>\n

Ong said the police did not suspect foul play in the woman\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

The state coroner said he would give his findings at a later date.<\/p>\n

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Helplines<\/h2>\n

Mental well-being<\/h2>\n
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