Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a woman in her 60s whose body was found at a home in the New South Wales Hunter Valley.
The string of events began at 7.20am on Monday when police were called to a property in Muswellbrook for a welfare check.
At the home, officers spoke with a 52-year-old woman and left shortly after.
Twelve hours later, police were called to a venue in Muswellbrook after there were reports a woman was acting erratically and suffering a mental health episode, Acting Assistant Commissioner Scott Tanner said.
Police arrived and spoke to the same 52-year-old woman outside the club before she was arrested and taken to the local police station.
She was taken to Mater Hospital under police guard for a mental health assessment where she remains.
At 8.30pm, emergency services were called back to the Muswellbrook home over concerns for another woman’s welfare.
When officers arrived, police found the body of a woman inside the home.
She hasn’t been formally identified but is believed to be in her 60s.
Tanner said the cause of the woman’s death hasn’t been determined yet but it appears that there was “some kind of physical intervention”.
“We believe the women were known to each other but we’re unsure of the nature of that relationship,” Tanner said.
A crime scene has been established and police are investigating the circumstances of the woman’s death.
A critical incident team will also investigate the other circumstances surrounding the incident.
Tanner said the team would investigate whether police had dealings with the deceased woman when they first attended the Muswellbrook property on Monday morning.
Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.
