A SEX worker charged with causing the death of a Brisbane businessman in what police claim was a sex act gone wrong at a Cairns hotel has been remanded in custody on a return to prison warrant.

Manoora woman Madeleine Joan Lewin, 32, was allegedly the last person to see auditor Anthony Brady, 52, alive when the pair went to a room of the Sunshine Tower Hotel on Sheridan St on Wednesday night.

Mr Brady was in Cairns for business as a service station auditor, and was due to fly home on Brisbane but failed to arrive, prompting a major police investigation.

Ms Lewin was initially named as a person of interest before she was taken into custody in Manoora on Sunday morning and charged with manslaughter.

Police will allege the charge stems from a duty of care she had for Mr Brady.

Her case returned to the Cairns Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning after a brief mention on Monday where it emerged she was on parole for other matters.

Her solicitor Mark Butler said Probation and Parole had decided to issue the return to prison warrant, meaning she could not apply for bail.

Police prosecutor Nick Anderson asked for an eight week adjournment as police prepared the brief of evidence.

Mr Butler consented to the extended adjournment and said Ms Lewin was "not prejudiced" by the delay due to the warrant.

He said the brief would likely include "expert evidence we can't argue against" and they were also awaiting a pathologist report.

Police said yesterday results of the post mortem were yet to be received and have remained tight lipped over Mr Brady's likely cause of death.

The case was adjourned until October 28.

Originally published as Why sex worker charged over hotel death is staying behind bars