Noreen Peacock: Dead in her bed for months; inquest takes place

The remains of Noreen Peacock was said to be concealed by her daughter, Melissa, in their home for six months before the police discovered it in October 2013. Inquest for the incident started on Tuesday at Glebe Coroner’s Court in Sydney.

The inquest heard the charges against Melissa. The 50-year-old is facing fraud charges related to operating a bank account without authority and for not reporting her mother’s death.

A fraud charge is related to Melissa’s misuse of her mother’s money by staying in posh hotels after missing for several days when police found out about her mother’s corpse. She was arrested on October 2013 at a hotel in the harbour side suburb of The Rocks as she lived in expensive hotels Sydney’s Four Seasons, the Hilton, the Marriott and the Shangri-La prior to that, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Melissa admitted to the authorities that she knew about her mother’s death and just carried on with her normal life after her mother’s demise and told no one of the death. She used air freshener to conceal the smell of the corpse.

Peacock’s corpse was found by real estate agents on Oct. 18, 2013 while locked in her room. The exact date of her death is unknown. Post-mortem examinations suggest that she could been dead for six months prior to the discovery. Melissa shared her home with Noreen and had been taking care of her mother even when she was suffering from dementia in 2012.

Talks among Melissa and her sisters, Debra Crozier and Jaslyne Haywood, on putting their mother in a healthcare facility surfaced, but Melissa rejected the idea, insisting that she will take care of their mother.

In the inquest, counsel assisting the coroner Ian Bourke SC said that in late 2012, Noreen’s dementia became more severe. Melissa became depressed and was unable to cope. She resulted to drinking substantial amount of wine to “obliterate” what she had to think about.

No conviction was made and both charges are heard under the Mental Health Act.

Deputy State Coroner Sharon Freund handles the inquest.

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