Qld: Burns victim also assaulted

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2004
Qld: Burns victim also assaulted

BRISBANE, Aug 5 AAP - A 26-year-old woman found in a car with her clothes on fire in
Brisbane may have been physically and sexually assaulted, police said today.

Cleveland CIB Senior Sergeant Ray Rohweder said the woman was found in her small grey
Daihatsu Charade by a group of youths driving along Mount Cotton Road, Cleveland at 1.06am
today.

He said the youths noticed the car and turned back because it appeared to be on fire.

"There they found a partly clad woman with burns to her chest area - they immediately
called emergency services," Sgt Rohweder said.

"It appears that the woman has been both severely physically and sexually assaulted."

Sgt Rohweder said the woman had been rushed to the Royal Brisbane Hospital burns unit,
where she remained in a serious condition.

Sgt Rohweder said although the woman's wounds were not believed to be life-threatening,
she was expected to be too ill to speak to police for the next few days.

"Police are appealing for anyone that saw a small dark grey Daihatsu Charade vehicle
in the Mount Cotton Road area in the early hours of this morning to either call Cleveland
Police or Crime Stoppers," he said.

AAP am/ch/tma/bwl

KEYWORD: BURNS SECOND NIGHTLEAD

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