The body of a young housekeeper who died after falling 15 stories at a Sydney hotel was hardly scratched, according to her family and acquaintances who saw it two days later.
Sheila Jepkorir Chebii, a 25-year-old Kenyan, passed away at midday on May 17 following a fall from the 19th floor of the Meriton Suites on Sussex Street in Sydney’s central business district.
Six weeks after arriving in Australia, Ms. Chebii, who lived with cousins in Greystanes in Sydney’s west, was working at the 32-story skyscraper when she fell and died.
“When we heard she’d fallen from the 19th floor, everybody was prepared to see a shattered body, but when we got there, the body was intact,” said friend Chepchir Chir, a member of the Sydney Kenyan community. However, when her next-of-kin were finally permitted to view her body 48 hours later, they were astounded to see nearly no signs of the catastrophic fall. No broken skull, no fractures, nothing. She was simply at ease.
Supporters of Ms. Chebii told the Daily Mail that a comprehensive probe into her death is necessary as rumors about the circumstances surrounding her passing grow.
Numerous members of the Kenyan community marched to the streets of Sydney on Tuesday to demand a thorough investigation, according to Ms. Chir.
On May 17, Sheila Jepkorir Chebii, 25, passed away following a fall from the 19th floor of the Meriton Suites on Sussex Street in Sydney’s central business district.
The Daily Mail is aware that Ms. Chebii was employed by the hotel as a housekeeper.
Many questions about Ms. Chebii’s death are still unanswered, according to Chepchir Chir, who knew her through the Kenyan diaspora in Sydney. For example, “Why did it take so long for Sheila’s employer to contact her family?” They phoned about two days later. “What happened?” Ms. Chir asked. “We want to know what happened on the 19th floor, in the room she was in—was there a client in there?” Did the client see anything?
Since the person who identified Sheila’s body on the fourth floor is a crucial witness, has she been questioned? It’s been sixteen days, and nothing has been reported in the media. A drunk driver hitting an automobile would be widely reported in the media.
However, nobody is aware that a small girl fell from the 19th story. That is just incorrect.
“She didn’t show up at home and then police called her next-of-kin but they didn’t give permission for her family to go and see the body to identify her,” Ms. Chir said. “It was quite a struggle.” The group also wants authorities to look into whether Ms. Chebii’s death was a workplace incident and whether SafeWork NSW was contacted. They declared it to be self-harm right away.
Only six weeks prior to her untimely demise, the Kenyan national had relocated to Australia.
On Tuesday, dozens of people marched through Sydney’s streets to honor Ms. Chebii.
They gathered and prayed for answers outside the Meriton Suites hotel where she passed away.
After gathering for the “Justice for Sheila Chebii” march close to the Meriton Suites disaster site, about fifty people marched toward the hotel while screaming her name.
As a sign of solidarity and support, the demonstrators wore white and traditional Kenyan clothing while urging the authorities to be transparent about the inquiry.
Additionally, they demanded increased security for Kenyans residing overseas.
When emergency services arrived at the hotel at 1:30 p.m., they discovered Ms. Chebii’s body on a fourth-floor balcony. “Staff attempted CPR until the arrival of emergency personnel, but the woman died at the scene,” NSW Police told the Daily Mail on Monday. “Officers attached to Sydney City Police Area Command have conducted inquiries and will prepare a report for the information of the coroner.”
The death is not being investigated by police as suspicious.
However, her distraught family told the local media that they had spoken to her over the phone just minutes before, at 12:30 p.m., and she had given them no clue that something was wrong.
The circumstances surrounding her death have been questioned in Kenya’s parliament.
As they demanded greater transparency from the authorities, supporters yelled her name.
Friends and local community leaders in Sydney have assisted family members in gaining access to her body at the Lidcombe coroner’s court building.
They were supposedly informed of her comparatively slight injuries sustained in the fall, but they still think the reason of her death is “unclear.”
A “small injury on the forehead, a dent on one eye, bruises on her arms, and an injury on the hip” were among Ms. Chebii’s “minimal” ailments, according to her relatives.
“We are distraught because the state of Sheila’s body is completely inconsistent with the information given that she fell from the Meriton hotel, level 19 to level 4,” they said in a statement to Kenyan media, casting doubt on the official version of her death and claiming to have met police in their quest for answers.
“Many questions remain unanswered as investigations continue, and the family and community remain deeply saddened and emotionally affected by the events surrounding Sheila’s passing.”
The Daily Mail was informed by a Meriton Group representative that NSW Police are considering Ms. Chebii’s death to be a “self-harm incident.”
Meriton was deeply pained by this regrettable event. The spokeswoman stated, “We take such matters seriously and give priority to ensuring they are adequately investigated by NSW Police.”
“Our own inquiries reveal that the person who was involved in this tragic incident was the employee of a subcontractor responsible for cleaning services at one of our hotels,” Kenya’s High Commission, based in Canberra, said in response to mounting dissatisfaction among Kenyans living abroad.
Sheila departed Kenya on April 4, 2026, and questions have also been raised in Kenya’s parliament. One MP has demanded that authorities conduct a “thorough investigation” into Ms. Chebii’s death. She was discovered dead barely two months later, according to National Assembly member Timothy Toroitich. “This is a young lady who was carrying the dreams and aspirations of her family.” “So far, there has been no major truth on the death of Sheila…as the government, we have an obligation to protect the lives of our young people.”
Since then, the public has received an update from Kenya’s High Commission, which is headquartered in Canberra, amid mounting dissatisfaction among the Kenyan community in Australia.
“She was a cherished daughter, sister, and friend whose kindness and presence deeply impacted all who knew her in both Kenya and Australia,” said organizer Elvis Langas. “Her sudden passing has left the family devastated emotionally and facing significant financial strain as they navigate this painful loss from afar.” A GoFundMe has now been established to assist Ms. Chebii’s family with any legal and administrative costs, funeral arrangements, and the repatriation of her body to Kenya.
“In order to better understand the circumstances surrounding her death, the family is presently navigating continuing legal and administrative procedures, including waiting for the coroner’s findings.
Out of the $12,000 target, the fundraiser has already raised more than $3,300.
Lifeline 13 11 14 offers free, private assistance around-the-clock.
