Kenyan international student Sheila Chebii fell to her death at a Meriton Suites hotel in Sydney on 17 May 2026 while working as a housekeeper. Police have not yet publicly released a cause of death.
A Tragic Fall
Sheila Chebii, a 25-year-old Kenyan international student, died after falling 15 storeys from the 19th floor to a fourth-floor balcony at Meriton Suites on Sussex Street in Sydney. She had been working as a housekeeper for less than a month. Chebii arrived in Australia from Kenya just six weeks earlier to begin postgraduate studies in accounting.
Final Shift
It was meant to be Chebii's last shift as a housekeeper. She planned to return home to a dinner of soft chapatis with her cousin and friends. The following day she was due to start a new role as a cleaner. However, about six hours into her shift on 17 May, emergency services were called to the hotel.
Police have said there is no evidence to indicate anyone else was involved and no cause of death has been publicly released. 'NSW police continue to liaise with the woman's family as well as consulate staff and are keeping them apprised of the status of the investigation,' a police statement said.
Family Seeking Answers
A month after her death, Chebii's family is still plagued by unanswered questions. Kenyan community leaders say the mystery surrounding Chebii's death has further compounded the diaspora's grief. Chebii's older brother, Amos, who travelled to Australia after his sister's death, says he hopes the family's legal representatives will be able to help them find answers. 'We just want everything to be exhausted,' he says.
The Greens senator David Shoebridge, who met Chebii's family last week, says he has asked the NSW coroner and SafeWork NSW to arrange urgent briefings so the family understands what the next steps are. Shoebridge says 'basic questions remain unanswered'.
Community Reaction
Weeks after Chebii's death, members of the Kenyan diaspora staged a protest outside the hotel where Chebii died, calling for answers and transparency. Mathew Gitau, a Kenyan community leader, says Chebii's death has 'resonated far beyond her immediate family and friends', with funds being raised to repatriate her body. 'Sheila represented the aspirations of many young Kenyans who come to Australia seeking education, opportunity and a better future,' he says.
Chebii's death has also garnered attention in her home country. Kenyan MP Timothy Toroitich raised Chebii's death in the nation's parliament, saying there had been 'no major truth' about what had occurred. The Kenyan high commission says it has maintained contact with Australian authorities, including law enforcement, regarding Chebii's death. 'The Mission has not received any final findings or conclusions regarding the case,' a spokesperson said.
Investigation Ongoing
NSW police said a report would be presented to the state coroner to determine if an inquest into Chebii's death will be held. A spokesperson for SafeWork NSW confirmed it was 'making inquiries' into the matter. A Meriton spokesperson said Chebii was 'not employed by Meriton directly but by our subcontractor'. 'Our internal inquiries reveal that Sheila Chebii had only been employed as a hotel room cleaner a matter of weeks before she passed,' the spokesperson said.
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.
