The family of an 18-year-old Dutch model who plunged naked from a 20th-floor apartment in Kuala Lumpur has called for an international investigation, questioning police claims that there were no criminal elements in her death.
Ivana Smit, who had been living in Malaysia since the age of five and worked as a model for brands including Chanel, died last Thursday after falling from a balcony in the Jalan Dang Wangi district. Her body was found naked on the sixth floor of the apartment block.
Police have described the case as a sudden death with no foul play, but Ivana's father Marcel Smit and grandfather Hendrik Smit have disputed this, citing missing clothing, unanswered questions about drugs and sexual activity, and a reported argument heard by neighbours.
According to the family, Ivana had returned to the apartment of an American cryptocurrency trader and his wife at 5am after a night of partying. Alcohol and ecstasy were reportedly found in her blood and that of the couple. Her father said she sent a selfie to her boyfriend at 7.25am and is believed to have fallen around 10am, but her body was not discovered until 2-3pm.
Hendrik Smit said: 'We cannot believe she fell from level 20 and the body was found at level 6. She was found there naked. Where are her shoes and underwear? It seems that the person from level 20 is a rich man. We believe there is a criminal element in Ivana's death.'
Police chief Assistant Commissioner Shaharuddin Abdullah said the post-mortem showed no evidence of foul play and appealed for witnesses. The family has contacted Interpol and the Dutch ambassador to demand a full investigation.
