A British woman living in Australia has died after her arm was partially severed when she ran through a glass door.
Claire Austin, 38, severed an artery in her arm as she tried to force herself through a glass sliding door at her home in Sydney on Saturday morning.
She was taken to hospital after a neighbour called the emergency services, but she died on Tuesday.
Claire was born within the UK but moved to Australia about 10 years ago, Sky News reports.
She worked in digital marketing, and her family flew to Sydney from the UK on Tuesday morning within the hours before her death.
Floral tributes and cards have been left outside Claire’s flat. One read: ‘I’m so sorry that this happened to you, especially on the shores of a foreign country.’
Provider: Facebook
One other card said: ‘To the sweetest soul, it was an honour to have known you. Your presence is really missed.
‘Thanks for all of your love and support – words can’t describe how painful that is. Rest in peace Claire.’
Claire lived in a top floor flat together with her boyfriend, fellow British ex-pat Lee Loughlin, 44. He reportedly told police that they had an argument before her injury.
Latest South Wales (NSW) Police are investigating her death after it was alleged Claire was attempting to escape a domestic violence situation.
A 44-year-old man, who was known to Claire, was spoken to on the scene but has since been released at no cost. The person has reportedly been admitted to a mental sanatorium.
An application for an apprehended violence order was reportedly made on Claire’s behalf last Thursday – though it’s not clear if the person listed on the order was linked to the incident on Saturday night.
In an interview with the Australian Day by day Telegraph, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Peter Thurtell said the incident was ‘an absolute tragedy and the lack of one other precious life’.
‘People must stop dying in situations of domestic violence,’ he said.
‘Whether it’s women or men, and more often than not it’s women who die in DV situations, it’s tragic and it has to finish.’
Chris Minns, premier of Latest South Wales, said: ‘I can just imagine how devastated they [Claire’s family] are today.
‘I would like the general public to be assured that there’s a taskforce that’s been arrange by NSW Police, they’re taking it incredibly seriously, and the main focus will probably be justice for that woman and her family.’
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