Tragic twist after woman found dead near walking track in Sydney

Police investigating the death of a woman who was found dead with her clothes on backwards have a new theory as to how she died.

Police investigating the death of a woman who was found dead with her clothes on backwards have a new theory as to how she died.

The body of Janet James, 47, was found in bushland in North Wahroonga, on Sydney’s north shore, at 12.40pm last Thursday.

She was covered in scratches and was wearing her clothes the wrong way round, prompting police to suspect she had been murdered.

But now cops believe she died in a tragic accident.

NSW Police said on Tuesday that they were no longer treating Ms James’ death as suspicious.

Stream your news live & on demand with Flash. From CNN International, Al Jazeera, Sky News, BBC World, CNBC & more. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022 >

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

A post-mortem examination found she likely died as a result of misadventure.

Ms James recently moved to the suburb to live with a friend and had been acting strangely in the lead-up to her death.

Police are still investigating and police were recently searching for evidence at a bridge connecting a firetrail across a creek at the bottom of a ravine at the edge of the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.

Neighbours said it was a popular dog walking trail but that it would have been difficult to access because of heavy rain.

Police officers, along with State Emergency Service officials, were seen donning gumboots and methodically searching the banks of the shallow creek underneath the bridge.