Woman arrested after her 84-year-old mother found dead in Sydney aged care home

Police allege the Rooty Hill care home resident was administered an unknown substance by her daughter

An 84-year-old woman who was found dead in an aged care home was allegedly administered an unknown substance by her daughter.

Emergency services were called to Our Lady of Consolation aged care home in Rooty Hill in Sydney’s far west around 11.35pm on Thursday.

Police officers located the body of an 84-year-old woman inside the building.

A 53-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and was taken to Mount Druitt hospital for medical assessment, police said.

The 53-year-old woman is the daughter of the 84-year-old woman.

Supt Darrin Batchelor said the daughter was distressed when police arrived at the scene.

“What we believe at this stage is that the 53-year-old female allegedly administered a substance to the older woman,” he told reporters on Friday.

“We don’t know exactly what that substance is at the moment and whether it contributed to her passing last night.”

He noted the daughter had no criminal history or medical training and has been compliant with officers.

“It’s really too early to determine what the motivation is at the moment, whether it was an assisted dying scenario, we really don’t know,” Batchelor said.

The daughter has since been transferred to the local police station where she remains in custody.

A nine-year-old boy was present on the night but is now in the care of his family, Batchelor said.

A crime scene has been established and exhibits are being collected by a forensic team.

A toxicology and autopsy report is being prepared as the investigation continues.