Two people have been detained in northern China after a 25-year-old woman died of suspected domestic abuse, according to local authorities' statement on Sunday.

The woman, surnamed Liu, died from a craniocerebral injury caused by blunt force, and a forensic examination confirmed she was not pregnant at the time, according to the statement released by the public security bureau of Mengcun Hui autonomous county, Cangzhou of Hebei province.

Her husband, surnamed Jin, 26, has been placed in criminal detention on suspicion of causing her death. Her mother-in-law, surnamed Zhang, 48, has also been detained for allegedly helping to destroy or fabricate evidence.

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Police confirmed that they received a report on Friday that a criminal case had occurred in a residential community, resulting in Liu's death. To ensure a fair and just legal process, the case has been transferred to Suning county's public security bureau for further investigation, as designated by the public security bureau of Cangzhou city.

Officers are working with women's rights groups to examine allegations that Liu had been subjected to domestic violence, it said.