K-9 unit failed to detect Anna Jenkins’ bones, inquest told

K-9 unit failed to detect Anna Jenkins’ bones, inquest told

However, the coroner’s court was told that a manual search resulted in the discovery of bone fragments.

A photo taken in August 2020 by the Jenkins family showing a K-9 unit at the location where Anna Jenkins’ bones and personal effects were found two months earlier.
GEORGE TOWN:
The coroner’s court was told today that a K-9 unit failed to detect bones belonging to the late Anna Jenkins, an Adelaide grandmother of Malaysian origin who disappeared in Penang in 2017 after a dentist’s appointment.

Investigating officer Azrul Azizan Mat Rawi told an inquest into her death that sniffer dogs were sent immediately to the location after a construction worker alerted police in June 2020 that he had chanced upon a tailbone and her personal effects.

But the dogs were unable to detect any other remains.

George Town senior investigating officer Azrul Azizan Mat Rawi talking to Khairul Anuar Abdul Halim (left) and Shahrezal Shukri (right) who are assisting the coroner.

Azrul said two months later, in August, another search was carried out after Jenkins’ son Greg had chanced upon some bone fragments at the site.

Azrul said a manual search by a Bukit Aman forensics team found some bone fragments the same month.

“On our August 12 to 13 search, the bones were found about 5m away from where the tailbone was found in June. The K-9 unit couldn’t find them earlier on,” he told coroner Norsalha Hamzah.

Anna Jenkins’ two children, Jennifer Bowen and Greg Jenkins outside the courtroom.

Khairul Anuar Abdul Halim, who is assisting the coroner, then asked why the dogs were not able to sniff out the bones just some 5m away when a similar unit could scour a larger area during the recent Batang Kali landslide to recover buried bodies.

Azrul said the necessary procedures were followed but the dogs were not able to find anything at the site.

The inquest continues tomorrow.

Stay current - Follow FMT on WhatsApp, Google news and Telegram

Subscribe to our newsletter and get news delivered to your mailbox.