A young woman has been found dead at a school in central Sydney in what police have described as a “confronting scene” as they search for one of her male colleagues.
Police found the woman’s body in the gym bathroom at St Andrew’s Cathedral school on Bathurst and Kent streets just before midnight on Wednesday.
The victim was Lilie James, a water polo coach at the school in her early 20s, a friend of her family confirmed.
Her death is being treated as suspicious and detectives were investigating at the scene on Thursday morning.
Police want to speak to a fellow St Andrew’s employee, Paul Thijssen, in relation to the matter. He graduated from the school in 2017 and has since worked there as a sports coach, as well as an after-hours coordinator.
He is well known within the school community.
A NSW police superintendent, Martin Fileman, said the woman had been found with “serious head injuries” after officers received a call from someone who was concerned about her.
“The actual scene itself is quite confronting for the police who turned up,” he said.
A second crime scene was established at The Gap on the city’s eastern coastline, where police found “property associated with the homicide” about the same time they found the body.
Officers were looking for Thijssen there, including in the ocean.
“We’re currently looking for a person, a male person, also in his early 20s, who we believe can assist us with this investigation,” Fileman said.
“He is also employed by the school. Police air wing and marine area command are currently trawling the coastline just off South Head and are currently working with police who are conducting a line search in that reserve.”
They are not looking for anyone else and do not believe there is an ongoing risk to the community.
“There is nothing to indicate there was any domestic violence or AVOs between them,” Fileman said.
The man was not known to police.
Daniel Makovec, a friend of the James family, said in a statement:
“Please respect the family’s privacy during this unimaginable period. The family has nothing more to say at this time.”
The school will remain closed for two days for all students other than those sitting year 12 exams after the “onsite death overnight”.
According to her Facebook profile, James attended Danebank Anglican School For Girls in Hurstville, in Sydney’s south.
She then attended the University of Technology Sydney.
“No students were involved and there is no ongoing threat,” a St Andrew’s spokesperson said. “An area of the school, not accessible to students, is a crime zone, and we await the approval of police before bringing everyone back on site.”
Students are undertaking their exams in another building and counsellors are being provided for students and parents.
Fileman said it was a “very sad time for everybody”. “Not only for the families, [but] the students who were turning up today to be confronted by this,” he said.
Head of school Dr Julie McGonigle said in an email to alumni on Thursday afternoon that a “drop-in session” with counsellors and chaplains would be held on Friday.
“I understand that this is a highly upsetting and concerning update, and I want to support our alumni community in any way we can,” she said.
“Please continue to pray for all involved in this matter.”
The premier, Chris Minns, described it as a “horrible, horrible crime”.
“[It is] one of the worst that I’ve seen in my public life and I can only imagine what [the] family is going through right now,” he said.
“The St Andrew’s community [has] got a reputation as a very close-knit, caring community, but they’re going to need to be in the weeks ahead because that community will be hurting, that school will be hurting.”
He said the government had offered to help the school find alternative exam locations if need be.
Detectives from the state crime command’s homicide squad are investigating with local police under Strike Force Trineura.
They spoke to the principal early on Thursday morning and have been collecting evidence at the scene, including CCTV footage.
• In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
