SINGAPORE, May 16 — A reclusive elderly father and his daughter were found dead in their Sengkang HDB flat last year, with a Singapore coroner returning an open verdict in both deaths.

According to The Straits Times, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda said yesterday there was no suspicion of foul play, but the bodies of Xu Baolu, 75, and his daughter Xu Na, 47, were too badly decomposed for their causes of death to be determined.

Their remains were found on October 6, 2025, after the town council received complaints of a foul smell from their eighth-floor unit at Block 324D Sengkang East Way, the report said.

The coroner reportedly noted that Xu Baolu was socially awkward and reclusive, but had devoted himself to caring for his daughter, who had severe psychiatric issues and relied on him for daily needs.

Xu Na had been seen at the Institute of Mental Health in 2022, but did not return for a confirmed diagnosis or treatment despite needing help, the report said.

Nakhoda said the pair were not in financial difficulty, but Xu Baolu had not gone for medical check-ups, meaning any chronic illness he may have had would have gone undiagnosed.

Investigators found that the last withdrawal from his bank account was in June 2025, while a laptop in the flat was last used on June 18, leading the coroner to conclude that Xu Baolu likely died some time after that date.

The coroner said Xu Na “could not function without her father’s assistance”, adding that Xu Baolu had to buy food for her daily.

She was seen at a convenience store on June 29, 2025, where she had difficulty communicating with police officers and could not recall her address.

The first complaint of a foul smell from the flat was made some time in July 2025, while the coroner said it was unclear when Xu Na was last seen alive, though it was likely some time in August or September.

The report said there was no evidence of trauma, although Xu Na was found to be malnourished.

Police Inspector 2 Irfan Al-Nazirul testified earlier that no food was found in the flat apart from condiments stored in the refrigerator.

The unit also did not contain a stove, which a relative said Xu Baolu had removed for his daughter’s safety.

Insp Irfan also testified that Xu Na’s psychosis caused her to become paranoid about being poisoned, leading her to frequently refuse food and drink.

The coroner said that while the precise cause of her death could not be determined, her refusal to eat “could have contributed to it”.

He later extended condolences to the family’s next of kin.