New revelations into death of Janet James, 47, at Wahroonga

Police are still investigating how Janet James, 47, ended up dead in a creek in Wahroonga last week and why she had her clothes on backwards.

A woman whose body was found in bushland in Sydney’s north had her clothes on backwards and was covered in grazes, but police do not believe her death was suspicious.

Exactly how Janet James, 47, ended up dead in a creek in Wahroonga is still under investigation, but NSW Police have now ruled out foul play, after the Homicide Squad were initially called in to assist local officers.

A local rugby coach made the grim discovery of Ms James’ body about 12.40pm on Thursday, July 14, while on a hike with junior players along a fire trail near Cliff Oval.

Police sources told The Daily Telegraph Ms James had grazes to much of her body and some of her clothing was on backwards, leading investigators to initially look into whether she may have been killed.

Police and SES at the scene where Janet James’s body was found near a fire trail in Wahroonga last Thursday. Picture: Tim Hunter

But in a statement on Tuesday, NSW Police confirmed they “are no longer treating the death as suspicious”.

Police and SES volunteers were called in to assist in the initial search after a crime scene was established.

Ms James’ death – in one of the more affluent areas of the city – shocked locals.

Where Janet James’s body was found under the bridge on a fire trail in Wahroonga. Picture: Tim Hunter

Understood to have lived in Smithfield, in Sydney’s southwest, she had recently been living in Wahroonga with a friend.

But she went missing from that address in the lead up to her death and was reportedly behaving oddly.

A post mortem has been conducted which determined Ms James’ death was likely misadventure.