Woman scalded to death in bath
POLICE are trying to piece together the events that led to the death of an elderly woman after she sustained horrific burns in her own bath tub.
The woman, who police said was aged in her 80s, was rushed to the Princess Alexandra Hospital about 5.30pm on Wednesday after her husband of 63 years discovered her fully emersed in hot tap water.
Ipswich Acting Detective Inspector Troy Salton said police believed the Booval resident had been unable to turn off a hot tap after going for a bath earlier on Wednesday evening.
"Initial inquiries indicated that the hot tap was left running," Insp Salton said.
"At this point we are not sure what prevented her from controlling the tap - whether it was due to her age or frailty or something else - we don't know."
The woman died at the PA Hospital about 5.20pm on Thursday - almost 24 hours after the incident.
Police are awaiting the results of a post mortem examination to determine the actual cause of death, although investigators were not considering it as suspicious.
Insp Salton said at this stage detectives were treating the woman's death as nothing more than a tragic accident.
"We don't know if the woman had tried to yell out to her husband for help," he said.
"The woman's husband is a similar age and is hard of hearing - so we think he would not have heard her.
"He was at home and was aware that she was in the bath at the time.
"After a short time he went in to check on her.
"It's a tragic incident - they were married 63 years - obviously the man's family is doing its best to support him."
Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
