‘Unexplained’: Woman found dead in Parnell apartment block

A woman has been found dead in “unclear” circumstances at an apartment in the affluent suburb of Parnell, Auckland.

The entrance to the lower level of an apartment block on Cracroft St is taped off and officers in boiler suits are now inside the building after emergency services were called to the inner-city high-rise just after 9.30pm.

“A woman was located unresponsive inside a unit, and on ambulance staff attending she was pronounced deceased.

“The circumstances of her death are unclear, and police have commenced an investigation,” Detective Senior Sergeant Martin Friend said.

Officers carry equipment inside an apartment block on Cracroft St, Parnell, after a woman died in "unexplained" circumstances overnight.

Friend said a scene examination will begin this morning.

At 9.30am, a police van and a police car were parked outside the apartment building.

Police are at the scene this morning. Photo / Dean Purcell

Detectives were seen inside the lower level of the apartment block in the entrance way. Officers were seen carrying equipment inside the building.

Curtains across the apartments were drawn.

Police cordon off an entrance to the apartment block on Cracroft St.

Police carrying boxes and equipment were seen entering into the lower level of the building, which has old Housing New Zealand signage outside.

The ageing block has a broken window and graffiti on the stairwell window.

A former neighbour described the apartment block as "dodgy as hell".

By mid-morning police had put up a “police emergency” cordon across the lower-level entrance to the building.

More police had arrived throughout the morning, with some wearing white boiler suits.

“At this very early stage, we are treating the woman’s death as unexplained,” Friend said.

“As part of our investigation, a post-mortem is scheduled to be carried out today.”

Police have had two scene guards in place at the unit overnight.

“Police will remain in the Parnell area as part of our inquiries,” Friend said.

A former neighbour, Jack Riddell, said he lived near the apartments from 2018 to 2019 and described them as “dodgy as hell”.

“I remember walking past and regularly seeing people fighting, under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and all kinds of yelling at all hours of day and night.

“It was a nightmare then and sounds like it still is.”

Anyone with information that might assist police should call 105 using the reference number 250808/6672.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the NZ Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news. Lyth began working under the NZ Herald masthead in 2021 as a reporter for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei.