Clare Nowland, a 95-year-old great-grandmother with dementia who was tasered by police, has died in hospital.
The news was confirmed in a statement by New South Wales Police on Wednesday (May 24).
New South Wales police said in a statement, via News.com.au: "It is with great sadness we confirm the passing of 95-year-old Clare Nowland in Cooma tonight. Mrs Nowland passed away peacefully in the hospital just after 07:00 pm this evening, surrounded by family and loved ones who have requested privacy during this sad and difficult time.
“Our thoughts and condolences remain with those who were lucky enough to know, love, and be loved by Mrs Nowland during a life she led hallmarked by family, kindness and community."
Nowland had been taken to hospital in Cooma, Australia, after she was tasered by police who had been called to the Yallambee Lodge Care Home where she was residing at 4:00 AM on May 17, after staff reported that she had a knife.
The 5'2" woman, who weighed just 43kg (95lb) had reportedly taken a steak knife from the kitchen into a small treatment room before staff called the police, CNN reported.
Upon arrival, officers tried to convince the 95-year-old to drop the knife, before a senior constable discharged his Taser when she slowly started to approach him using her walking frame.
Nowland was left in critical condition after she was tased, hitting her head as she fell. Her family revealed that she was then being treated with "end-of-life care" following her injuries.
The officer responsible, Senior Constable Kristian White, has since been charged by homicide detectives with three offenses: causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault.
Speaking of the incident to reporters days after it happened, Assistant Commissioner Peter Cotter said: "We can’t talk too much specifically about the incident but generally we say [the Taser] is there as a piece of equipment to defend yourself when you think your life or someone else’s is in danger."
He added: "At the time she was tasered she was approaching police. It is fair to say at a slow pace. She had a walking frame. But she had a knife. I can’t take it any further as to what was going through anyone’s mind when he used the Taser."
Cotter revealed at the time: "Clare approached the doorway where the police were at that stage, and the officer, the one officer, discharged the Taser.
"The injury that she suffered as a result of hitting her head on the floor has rendered her bedridden at the moment. She remains in and out of consciousness."
In the wake of the incident, it was revealed that the officer who discharged the Taser had been suspended from their duties with pay.
The public and local community groups were horrified after the incident was made public, and called for the police and care home staff to be better trained in de-escalating situations, and claimed other measures could have been used to disarm the frail, elderly woman without tasering her.
Video and audio of the incident was captured by body cameras worn by the officers, but the Assistant Commissioner confirmed that it would not be released as "it is not in the public interest".
Andrew Thaler, a local community advocate and friend of Nowland's family, revealed that Nowland's loved ones had been gathered around her bedside.
"I don’t think there’s going to be a recovery," Thaler said via CNN. "Tasers take out bulls and fully grown men. She’s a slip of a woman.
"She had good days and she had bad days, which is standard,” he continued, stating that the senior citizen had been a resident of the nursing facility for five years now.
"This woman couldn’t stand without a walking aid. She’s not that strong. She’s around 43 kilos (95 pounds) and 5-foot-2 (1.58 meters). This is an outrage."
Thaler added in an interview with ITV's Good Morning Britain on May 22: "A lot of people and some of the family were shocked that she made it through last night, [she is] still hanging on now. She's on end-of-life care and that's quite dire.
"It is outrageous and, it is shocking... That is offset by an enormous outpouring of grief and well wishes and prayers from all around the world.
"We don't have those answers and that's partly why I'm helping to speak out, because that is an answer that everybody wants."
Our thoughts remain with Nowland's family and friends at this heartbreaking time. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
