Authorities to probe hand sanitiser link in pedestrian death

There has been a shocking twist to investigations into a pedestrian death in Alice Springs. Read what happened.

Police are investigating whether a woman hit and killed by a car outside Alice Springs Hospital earlier this month had ingested hand sanitiser before the incident.

Amid suggestions the woman had been consuming alcohol-based hand sanitiser taken from the hospital in the hours before she was killed, acting deputy police commissioner Michael White acknowledged the impacts of hand sanitiser in the NT and the importance of treating its abuse as a health issue.

“All aspects of the death of the woman that was killed on Gap Road as a result of being hit by a car or being investigated and they will be presented to the coroner in due course,” Assistant Commissioner White said.

“Alcohol and other substance abuse across the Northern Territory is a significant issue, including aerosols, including other items that provide some sort of stimulant to a person, and it’s a health issue.

“It’s an ongoing health issue that we all face and we’re all responsible to, where we can provide support to people to make sure that they are treated as a health patient – and that’s a matter for the health department.”

The woman was struck about 9pm on Monday, September 11 and died shortly after in hospital.

Two motorists had previously swerved to avoid the woman but a third driver failed to stop, but returned to the scene and gave himself up to police.

Wicked Kneads owner Darren Clark footage inside the hospital. Photo: EMMA MURRAY

It was initially claimed the woman had earlier been involved in a vicious domestic violence incident in the hospital emergency department, but police shot these allegations down.

Alice Springs-based social media anti-crime campaigner Darren Clarke was given access to hospital closed-circuit television by the police, and said there was vision of the woman within the hospital building.

The NT News contacted NT Health with questions about the deceased woman and the domestic violence incident in the hospital.

“Alice Springs Hospital maintains a strong focus on security presence and engagement, and prioritises timely responses to emergency codes when called,” a spokesman said.

The woman was killed in front of Alice Springs hospital at about 9pm at night, Saturday, February 4, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“The campus is patrolled 24/7 by security officers, and staff have authority to request security assistance to ensure safety and well-being for all staff, patients and visitors within the ASH campus.

“ASH has the capability and authority to scale up security resources and responses when required, including working closely with police and emergency responders to ensure an integrated approach to prevention and responses to incidents.

“All reasonable measures and controls are taken to secure alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) in publicly accessible areas and ASH staff have been provided with personal ABHR bottles to support hand hygiene in the course of their work.

“NT Health provides alcohol and other drug treatment and care services across the Northern Territory, including assessment and residential rehabilitation, support and case management, counselling, and information and education.”

Police said they were investigating the domestic violence incident separate to the pedestrian death.

The name of the deceased woman has not yet been made public.