Elderly woman found dead at Ranau river reported missing since July 3, say police

KOTA KINABALU: The 80-year-old woman, whose body was discovered at a riverbank in Ranau on Thursday (July 6), has been reported missing since Monday (July 3), say police.

It was reported on Thursday that villagers found the remains of Minggui Belinting stuck on a tree branch at a river in Kampung Tampios at 7.21am.

Ranau OCPD Deputy Supt Simiun Lomudin said the victim lived on her own at Kampung Tinanom, and was reported missing by her grandchild earlier after attempts to search for her were unsuccessful.

"The last time the victim was seen was when she left her house to gather vegetables around 10am (on Monday).

"When she did not return home in the evening, the family member living nearby and other villagers tried to search for her around Kampung Tinanom the next morning.

"The police was then alerted and a search and rescue (SAR) operation was activated," said Simiun on Friday (July 7).

The Fire and Rescue Department assisted in retrieving the body found and the case has been classified as sudden death, he added.