Police probe death of 16-year-old girl in suspected sexual choking incident

Police in Sydney are investigating the death of a 16-year-old girl after she was found unresponsive at a home in Elanora Heights, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

According to the reports, emergency services were called to the apartment at about 5:45pm on Sunday, August 23, following a welfare concern. 

The police confirmed that paramedics found the teenager unresponsive and treated her at the scene before she was airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital in critical condition. 

Unfortunately, she died in the hospital on Tuesday night. 

Police have confirmed the teenager’s death and said officers attached to the Northern Beaches Police Area Command leading the investigation into circumstances surrounding the incident.  

Authorities are yet to publicly establish the cause of death, and no arrests or charges have been announced.
 
However, Australian media reports citing sources familiar with the investigation say police are examining whether the girl lost consciousness following an alleged choking incident during sexual activity. 

ABC reported that sources understood the sexual activity had been described as consensual. Police have not independently confirmed those details. 

The circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death have prompted renewed concern from health and relationship-education advocates about the dangers of strangulation during sexual activity, particularly among young people.

Sexual consent advocate Chanel Contos said the girl's death was "likely preventable" and that pornography companies "have blood on their hands".

"Mainstream pornography routinely depicts violence against women - slapping, strangling, and other abuse - while showing women as enjoying or accepting it," she said.

She also added that however much young people are consenting, they ae often uninformed about its potential consequences which are fatal at worst and can cause permanent brain injury even when there are no visible signs of harm.

Health experts have similarly warned that strangulation can cause serious medical consequences, including brain injury, even when there may initially appear to be no obvious injury. 

ABC reported that Women's Health NSW chief executive Denele Crozier has warned of a rise in women presenting with brain-injury concerns associated with strangulation. 

The case has also renewed debate about how teenagers learn about relationships, consent and sexual behaviour, with advocates arguing that young people need accurate, age-appropriate education rather than relying on potentially harmful material encountered online.

Police investigations remain ongoing, and authorities have urged against speculation while inquiries continue