For unknown reasons, an elderly woman refused to leave the car after she was taken home from the hospital by her son in Melaka.
Thinking that it was alright to leave her behind, the woman’s son did so, not knowing it would be his last time seeing her alive.
Treated for shoulder fracture
According to a statement by Melaka Tengah district police chief, Assistant Commissioner Halim bin Abas, he said the woman was 69-year-old Zhang Meizhu (transliteration), who was previously treated at Melaka Hospital for a fractured shoulder following a fall.
Yesterday afternoon (Oct 4), Zhang’s son was told by hospital staff that Zhang could be discharged and he went there to handle the discharge procedure.
Zhang later left the hospital wearing the hospital attire as her son didn’t bring a set of clothes for her to change into.
Refused to leave car
At around 2pm, Zhang’s son pulled up into the car park near their home. However, Zhang refused to alight from the vehicle, prompting her son to go home first and leave her behind.
At 3.30pm, a neighbour noticed Zhang sitting in the front passenger seat. When the neighbour passed by again 30 minutes later, Zhang was still spotted being inside the car.
This led the neighbour to go check on her but found that she had already passed away.
Halim said police found no suspicious injuries or signs of criminal elements after examining Zhang’s body.
He added Zhang’s son had told police Zhang had a history of diabetes, leading police to believe the ailment had caused her demise.
Zhang’s body was sent to the hospital mortuary for a post-mortem to determine the cause of death and the case has been classified as sudden death.
