Woman in her early 30s found dead outside home in Driver, Northern Territory
Partner arrested after police respond to an alleged domestic violence incident; investigators from domestic violence and major crime units are probing the death.
A woman in her early 30s was found unresponsive in the front yard of a house on Waterhouse Crescent in Driver, about 20 kilometres east of Darwin, and later died at hospital, police said.
Officers were called to the property about 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday after reports a woman was lying outside. She was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital where she was later pronounced deceased. A 32-year-old man, described by police as the woman's partner, was arrested at the scene and remains in custody.
A crime scene was established at the address and detectives from both the Domestic Violence and Major Crime Command are conducting the investigation, Northern Territory Police said. Investigators have not disclosed further details about the circumstances leading to the woman's death while inquiries continue.
Police urged anyone with information to contact NT Police on 131 444 or to provide an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 444. Support services were also listed by authorities, including 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) and Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Driver is a suburban area located roughly 20 kilometres east of Darwin. The local policing and specialist detective units regularly respond to reported incidents of domestic violence, and the involvement of the Domestic Violence Command indicates the matter is being treated as related to an intimate partner incident.
The Northern Territory has a higher rate of domestic violence incidents compared with a number of Australian jurisdictions, and authorities have in recent years sought to increase reporting and resources for victim support. Police said they will release further information as the investigation progresses and as it does not compromise operational or legal processes.
Anyone with CCTV footage, images or other information relevant to the investigation is asked to contact police. Authorities continue to examine the scene and interview potential witnesses as they piece together a timeline of events.