CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses distressing content.
Police are searching for St Andrew’s Cathedral School sports coach Paul Thijssen after his colleague Lilie James was found dead on campus overnight.
Police found the body of the 21-year-old water polo coach in the bathroom of a gym at the Sydney CBD school after a family member called police when she failed to return home late last night.
“Just before midnight emergency services were called to a school on Kent Street following reports of a concern for welfare,” a police spokesperson said.
“Officers from Sydney City Police Area Command attended and located the body of a woman.”
NSW Police Superintendent Martin Fileman said James had suffered “serious head injuries”.
Fileman confirmed a second crime scene had been set up in the Vaucluse area where police had found “items associated with the homicide”.
“From her injuries, it was apparent she was the victim of a homicide,” he said.
“The actual scene was quite confronting for the police who turned up.”
Superintendent Fileman confirmed they were still searching for Thijssen to help with enquiries.
“We don’t want to make any assumptions of the fact that that person may have taken his own life, but that’s just another line of inquiry we’re looking at at the moment,” he said.
“There’s nothing to indicate that there was any domestic violence, any [apprehended violence orders] or anything between both of them.
“A crime scene has been established and is being forensically examined this morning.”
The school has been closed for the rest of the week, a text to parents confirmed.
“No students were involved in the incident,” the text to St Andrew’s Cathedral School parents confirmed.
“Police are currently conducting an investigation in the SAH building. We will keep you updated.”
Help is available.
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