The grief-stricken father of a young woman who was found dead in her home almost a day after making a frantic triple-0 call demanded answers from police as he recalled how he and his wife commented on social news about heard the tragic news.
Tatiana ‘Tania’ Dokhotaru, 34, was found dead at around 8pm on Saturday in her unit in Liverpool, southwest Sydney – nearly 24 hours after calling triple-0 and begging for help alleging her partner was ‘bashing’ her ‘.
Her estranged partner Danny Zayat, 28, was arrested at the scene on Saturday and has been charged with a litany of crimes – including asphyxiation and breaching an AVO – that allegedly took place leading up to her death.
No charges have been filed in relation to Ms. Dokhotaru’s death.
Tatiana’s devastated parents Olga Dokhotaru and Dennis Thievin think she could still be alive today if officers went to her apartment the night she called for help and have labeled their response as disappointing.
The couple, based in Canada, found out about their daughter’s death via social media.
Tatiana Dokhotaru (pictured) was found dead in her Liverpool unit almost 24 hours after frantically calling triple-0
“Pretty gruesome,” Mr Thievin told Sunrise on Wednesday.
“My wife last spoke to her last Wednesday and since we normally hear from her every day or every other day, we knew something was wrong because we hadn’t heard and couldn’t reach her.
“On what would have been Monday morning for me, I went to the site in front of the Sydney police station and read the news that a 34-year-old woman had been found and it unfolded from there, or so we found out.”
It took police four hours to respond to the triple-0 call. Initially, they couldn’t find Ms. Dokhotaru’s unit because the call didn’t contain enough information, such as the number of the apartment.
NSW Police have launched a critical inquiry into the police response, which was criticized by Mr Thievin.
“If this had happened in Canada, where we live, I’d venture to say it’s arrogant behavior,” he said angrily.
“Since when does someone make a panicked phone call at midnight and you kind of ignore it?
“I realize they went to the premises, but they must have been aware that someone was in that premises, they should have banged on doors if necessary, as they certainly understood that something bad could be going on.
“I am very disappointed in all of that. Tania could have lived today if they had done what they should have done.’
Tatiana’s father Dennis Thievin (pictured) is disappointed with the lack of urgency of the police response
A critical incident investigation into the response time of the police has been launched. Pictured his tribute outside the apartment complex in Liverpool
Thievin added that his wife had a very hard time with their daughter’s death.
They had previously begged her to go to the police over Zayat’s alleged behavior.
Thievin claimed on Wednesday that his daughter had recently sent him a video that allegedly showed bruises on her neck.
“We never imagined in a million years that it would unfold like this,” he said.
“It’s not supposed to be like this and unless it ever happened to you, you don’t expect it to happen to your family, but it did. It’s a terrible thing, terrible thing.’
The couple’s young son was also found in the unit, on the eve of his fourth birthday.
Tania’s parents Olga Dokhotaru and Denis Thievin (pictured with Tania, left) think she might still be alive if they got to her apartment faster
Danny Zayat has been charged with a series of domestic violence offenses after his former partner Tatiana ‘Tania’ Dokhotaru, 34, was found dead on Saturday. The pair are pictured together in 2021
Forensic investigators were seen on Tuesday searching the roofs of neighboring buildings to the Pinnacle apartment complex as the search for evidence continues.
Friends told Daily Mail Australia that Ms Dokhotaru, a Russian national who migrated Down Under about 10 years ago, was a “beautiful and hard-working” mother.
They said she returned from a seven-day holiday in Thailand with her son last week and had just launched an online business renting out designer clothes for some extra income while caring for her son full-time.
“He was a mummy boy. She did everything for him. They were always together,” said a friend.
A neighbor also reported hearing her child make a “distressed” cry at about 2pm Saturday – about six hours before her body was discovered.
Ms Dokhotaru’s death has sparked public outcry, with many people flocking online to condemn the handling of her distressing call for help.
NSW Prime Minister Chris Minns has called for a thorough investigation into police response to Ms Dokhotaru’s triple-0 appeal.
He called for calm so that police can investigate the “traumatic incident”.
Zayat is due to appear in Liverpool’s local court on Friday.
Ms. Dokhotaru had just launched a designer brand rental business in the days before her death