KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian police said on Thursday (Feb 8) they were still investigating the case of a Dutch model who died after falling off a condominium balcony in Kuala Lumpur last year, after a report said the the model had been seen being carried out of a club by an American man just hours before her death.
The model, 19-year-old Ivana Esther Robert Smit, had fallen to her death from a 20th floor apartment in Jalan Dang Wangi on Dec 7 last year and landed on a balcony on the sixth floor. Police had said then that the model had been found naked at the time of her death and may have fallen while she was intoxicated.
The Kuala Lumpur police chief, Mazlan Lazim, said on Thursday that the police are currently scrutinising all aspects of the investigation into her death.
"We are still waiting for a few reports for further action," he was quoted saying by The Star on Thursday. He added that it was premature to draw any conclusions into her death.
Datuk Seri Mazlan's comments came after a report by a Dutch online newspaper that claimed that new closed circuit television (CCTV) footage has allegedly surfaced showing Smit being carried out of a club in Malaysia by an American man just hours before her death.
The report followed a tweet by lawyer Sebas Diekstra containing a screenshot from the clip.
Commissioner Mazlan said that Diekstra had only looked at one recording and added that the police have analysed many CCTV recordings in their investigation.
"Outside parties must not influence the police investigation. Allegations thrown at the police are totally unjustified," he said.
It is believed that Smit was in the apartment with an American man and his Kazakhstan wife after spending a night out with them. The couple retired to the bedroom while Smit slept in the living room.
Earlier reports had said that Smit, who holds dual Dutch and Belgian citizenship, at some point in the night ventured to the balcony and fell.
Smit was the second runner-up in the Malaysia Supermodel Search 2014, when she was just 15 years old.
