DUTCH MODEL’S ‘DEATH NOT AN ACCIDENT’

Dad claims there were bruises on the neck

THE father of Dutch model Ivana Esther Robert Smit, who was found dead and naked on the sixth floor of a condominium, expressed doubts that her death was an accident.

In a report by the Dutch NL Times, Marcel Smit, claimed that Ivana, 19, had bruise marks on her neck.

She was found dead on the balcony on the sixth floor of the building in Jalan Dang Wangi here on Thursday where she had stayed with an American and his wife from Kazakhstan on the 20th floor.

Marcel also claimed that neighbours heard shouting and arguments on the 20th floor.

Dang Wangi police chief Assistant Commissioner Shaharuddin Abdullah had said police were engaging with the Netherlands Embassy to meet the victim’s parents who arrived in Malaysia on Sunday.

“We have yet to interview the victim’s parents as they can’t speak English.

“We are arranging for an interpreter to help record their statement before Ivana’s body is released.

“The family members are planning to bring her body back to Netherlands,” he said on Monday.

He had said that police classified the case as sudden death, but would reclassify it if there were criminal elements involved.

Shaharuddin had called on those with information on the case to step forward to help in their investigations.

As of noon yesterday, the victim’s body had yet to be claimed by family members.

Police remained tightlipped when asked if there were any updates on the investigation, saying it was a sensitive case and that the investigation was ongoing.

Ivana had dual Dutch and Belgian citizenships.

It is learnt that blood test results showed that she was intoxicated and there were traces of drugs in her body.

Ivana was the second runnersup in the Malaysia Supermodel Search 2014, when she was 15 years’ old.