We want to know why.
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Here's what we DO know.
We know that Ann-Marie lived alone, in a quiet street in a 'good neighbourhood'. She received funding from the NDIS, for six hours a day. Her service provider was an organisation called 'IntegrityCare'. The police say that Ann-Marie died because she did not receive the care that she needed to stay alive. There was no food in the house - no refrigerator, and Ann-Marie slept day and night in a cane chair, which she was also forced to use as a toilet. There are significant issues reported around Ann-Marie's care - including that the woman that cared for her had complaints made about her in 2013. The list of links on the right are news articles about Ann-Marie's death. The police are investigating her death and the South Australian government has set up a task force to inquire into the circumstances of her death. We also know that deaths like Ann-Marie's are not unusual. You can read about the deaths of some other disabled women here. Many disabled people die from abuse and neglect, especially when there is nobody to notice if they are missing or hurt. We need to make sure this never happens again. |
Media
Royal Commission Statement into the Death of Ann Marie Smith
Little is known about Ann Marie Smith No disability screening for Ann Marie's support worker Calls for Ann Marie Smith taskforce head to be sacked over 'conflict of interest Head of taskforce into Ann Marie Smith’s death must be replaced due to conflict of interest Carer sacked after death of SA woman with cerebral palsy in 'disgusting and degrading' conditions Ann Marie Smith's carer identified, with criminal lawyer Stephen Ey hired Adelaide woman's 'degrading' death shows community's 'devaluation' of people with disabilities Carer fired after cerebral palsy sufferer's 'disgusting' death |