The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has begun an investigation into the death of a Chinese woman following her release from custody after being arrested at Heathrow airport.

According to an IPCC press release, in the early hours of the morning of Thursday 12 November, 35-year-old Jianping Liu was arrested as a suspected overstayer in the public departure area at Terminal 1 at Heathrow airport by Metropolitan police officers. She was released from custody at 9.30am the following morning after ‘it had been determined that she did have leave to stay in the UK’.

At around 1pm that afternoon police received a call that a woman had been seen falling from a bridge on the Northern Perimeter Road near Heathrow. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The IPCC is now ‘independently investigating’ the death and the investigation will examine the circumstances of her arrest, how many officers were involved, whether they were armed and if anyone explained to Jianping Liu what was happening to her.

Related links

IPCC press release: ‘Investigation into woman found dead after release from custody’