COPS should have treated the sudden death of a battered young mum as suspicious but wrapped up the inquiry in FIVE hours, it's claimed.
Demi Hannaway, 23, suffered four years of throttlings at the hands of evil Andy Brown, 33 in Airdrie, Lanarkshire - including on the day she was found dead.
The mum-of-two died suddenly at the home they shared in May 2021 but the death was almost immediately treated as non-suspicious by Police Scotland.
She was pronounced dead at 6.55am and the family received her flat keys back and told the probe was over at 11.30am.
Demi’s family refused to believe she had taken her own life and discovered evidence which is now being considered by the professional standards department of Police Scotland.
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Demi’s sister Caitlin, 24, found a raft of shocking pictures and messages documenting the abuse in her social media accounts - and a pal revealed the victim had called him just minutes before she was found dead saying Brown was abusing her.
Demi’s mum Helen Simpson, 45, of Airdrie, said: “We have serious concerns about how Demi’s death was investigated in the first few hours of her body being found.
“While at the time the extent of Brown’s abuse wasn’t known, wrapping up a death of a 23-year-old woman with no history of mental health conditions or suicidal tendancies seems very fast.”
A force insider added: “This should have been treated as a suspicious death from the start.
“The fact it was concluded in one morning is simply unbelievable.
“CID should have been called in, the house sealed off, DNA taken from things like the knot on the ligature.
“It’s poor policing, especially as the family then found incriminating evidence to put Brown away for themselves.”
Helen and hubby John Hannaway, 53 are giving statements to Police Scotland this week through their lawyers to progress their complaint.
Helen said: “We do not have any answers to all the above questions because of the rapid way this was written off as a suicide.
“Had officers spoken to any neighbours or any friends - or accessed her phone to see the abuse - they would have surely not taken Brown’s word for it so fast.”
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The thug pleaded guilty to assaulting Demi and conducting a course of abusive behaviour against her between January 1, 2019, until May 13, 2021 – the day she died.
He was jailed for 43 months at Airdrie sheriff court last month.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A complaint has been received and is being progressed by our Professional Standards Department.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further while this is ongoing, and a response will be sent to the complainers in due course.”
