A police watchdog is examining how Essex Police dealt with an emergency phone call the day before a Braintree woman was stabbed 173 times.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) are looking into a call raising concerns for welfare in Mountbatten Court, Braintree, on December 15.

The following day officers discovered Suzanne Brown with serious injuries from which she later died.

A man was arrested at the scene and has been charged with murder.

Essex Police brought the matter to the attention of the IOPC who have launched an independent investigation.

They will examine the actions of police control room staff who handled and graded the call and the deployment and response of the officers who attended the address.

IOPC regional director, Sarah Green said: “Ms Brown’s death is a tragedy and we have made contact with her family to extend our condolences.

“It is important we establish the facts surrounding whether the actions of police staff and police officers were appropriate and in keeping with training and policy.

“As has been widely reported, Essex Police is separately conducting a murder investigation and a man has been charged with murder and remanded in custody.

"Therefore it would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment at this time.”