Tragic twist in mysterious case of pregnant woman found dead on isolated beach with her phone switched off
- The inquest into a pregnant woman who was found dead has taken a tragic twist
- Sonam Shelar was found washed-up on a secluded beach about a month ago
- Her family claimed it could be murder, but investigations ruled out foul play
- Her husband, Sagar Shelar, says police think she slipped on a pier and drowned
- Mr Shelar says members of the public have blamed him for his wife’s death
The case of an expectant young mother who was five months pregnant when her body was found on a secluded beach has taken a tragic turn.
Indian national Sonam Shelar, 26, was found on White Rock Beach four days after her husband reported her missing from their Wellington home on November 17.
An immediate inquest was launched, with authorities quickly ruling out foul play.
But after weeks of criticism from the public, husband Sagar Shelar has spoken out to proclaim his innocence.
The husband of dead expectant mother Sonam Shelar (pictured together) has revealed what police believe is her cause of death
Ms Shelar (pictured) was five months pregnant when she went missing in November
The pregnant woman’s family requested a coroner’s report be compiled after her body was found, suspecting murder.
After being told the death was ‘not suspicious’, Mr Shelar revealed what he says was told is the presumed cause of death.
According to the chef, police told Mr Shelar they believe the young woman slipped on a pier and hit her head, before falling into the water and drowning.
‘They are thinking it was an accident. At five 5 past 11 her phone was switched off… that’s when I think she must have slipped over. It was a bad day – very wet and windy. The police told me she hit her head, that’s all.’
Her body was found washed up on an isolated beach (pictured) four days later
Mr Shelar (right) says police believe his wife (left) slipped on a pier, hit her head and drowned
A chef, Mr Shelar, 32, told the New Zealand Herald his wife was ‘excited to be a mother’ before her untimely passing.
But despite saying he was a loving husband, the Indian man says the public has constantly questioned where he was when his wife died.
‘It definitely felt really bad because I am her husband and what husband who is going to be a father would do that?’ he said.
Speaking from Mumbai, a family friend defended the widower, saying everyone was in shock.
‘The family is in grief at the moment – that I can definitely say,’ Harshal Patkar told News Talk, saying the disappearance was definitely ‘out-of-character’ for Ms Shelar.
The couple had visited a hospital for an ultrasound two days before she vanished – with the expectant mother reportedly upset she was having a girl instead of a boy
The couple had recently visited a hospital for their first ultrasound in the days leading up to her passing.
Ms Shelar was reportedly ‘upset’ when the test found she was having a baby girl instead of the boy she had dreamt of.
The couple had married last December and moved to New Zealand in April.
They had met online, via the Bharat Matrimonial website, which is one of India’s more predominantly used matchmaking platforms.
The young woman’s ashes will be scattered in the Ganges River, with half spread in Wellington
After leaving her family in Mumbai, Ms Shelar was said to be ‘lonely’ and wouldn’t leave her home very often.
The family flew to Wellington for her funeral a fortnight ago.
Half of her ashes were scattered in the water off of Island Bay, about 20km south of her family home.
The rest will be taken to Mumbai by her distraught family and scattered in the Ganges River.
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