The Woman in the Bushland

The Woman in the Bushland

From Crime at Bedtime by Jack Laurence

May 24, 2026 · 22 min · Season 1 · Episode 175

About this episode

The episode explores the tragic case of Monika Chetty, a woman found severely burned in Sydney, and the ongoing mystery surrounding her death.

On the evening of 3 January 2014, a 39 year old woman was found in bushland at West Hoxton in Sydney's south west. Her skin was peeling from her body. She had suffered horrific burns to over 80 per cent of her face and torso. Doctors would later determine she had been doused in nearly eight litres of hydrochloric acid up to ten days before being discovered. Her name was Monika Chetty. A former nurse. A mother of three. A homeless woman who had been sleeping rough in Sydney's streets for years, estranged from her family and trapped in a world of gambling debts and dangerous associations. Before she died at Concord Hospital 28 days later, she gave police a story about her attack. But detectives believed she was lying to protect someone. Twelve years on, despite a $500,000 reward and an exhaustive coronial inquest, no one has ever been charged. Someone in Sydney knows what happened to Monika Chetty. Become a Patreon or Apple + subscriber now for ealry and ad free access from as little as $1.69 a week. All the details here Subscribe to Crime at Bedtimes Youtube channel HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Jack Laurence

Topics covered

  • true crime
  • unsolved cases
  • murder investigation
  • victim stories
  • Sydney crime

Keywords

  • Monika Chetty
  • hydrochloric acid
  • burns
  • Sydney
  • unsolved murder
  • true crime

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Concord Hospital

Places: Sydney, West Hoxton

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