9 Jan 2014

Police delay returning Australian bodies

6:43 pm on 9 January 2014

Police in Bali are delaying the return of the bodies of an Australian mother and daughter who died last weekend because they are yet to rule out criminal activity.

Sunshine Coast nurse Noeline Gay Bischoff and her 14-year-old daughter Yvana died on Saturday, less than 24 hours after arriving on the east coast of the Indonesian holiday island.

The cause of death is not known, but a medical examination revealed something that caused the Australians to choke for air before their deaths, the ABC reports.

Initial reports suggest they may have died from food allergies or food poisoning, but relatives are sceptical.

The family want their bodies sent back to Australia so the Queensland coroner can investigate the cause of death.