BUKIT MERTAJAM: The police have classified the deaths of two women found inside a car parked near a residential area here as sudden deaths.
Central Seberang Perai OCPD Asst Comm Helmi Aris said, based on their investigation, the women, both locals aged 25 and 30 years old, were found in the car after a distress call was made to the police.
"There were no weapons in the car nor any indication of criminal elements. Both the deceased women were close friends. Both their next of kin made missing persons reports on July 5," he said in a statement Thursday (July 11).
ACP Helmi said both bodies have been taken to Seberang Jaya Hospital for further investigation.
"The case has been classified as a sudden death report," he said, adding that the women died of helium gas inhalation.
The bodies of the women were discovered in a car parked in a housing area in Taman Sri Rambai, on Wednesday (July 10), after a passer-by noticed water dripping from the car.
The passer-by noticed the car at around 5.30pm and immediately alerted the authorities.
An inspection by the police and the Fire and Rescue Department revealed that the bodies in the two front seats were bloated and had started to smell.
Initial investigations found that the two women may have been dead for more than five days.
Earlier, a spokesman for the Penang Fire and Rescue Department said that a team from the Perda Fire and Rescue station rushed to the scene after receiving a call asking for help to unlock the car door.
Upon arrival, the rescue team, equipped with PPE (personal protective equipment), managed to open the locked car door using special equipment.
One of the women is believed to be from Negri Sembilan, but the identities of both have not been confirmed at this time.
During the inspection, the phone number of a family member of one of the victims was found on the dashboard of the car.
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