95-year-old in Australia dies days after police officer hit her with a stun gun

A 95-year-old Australian woman on whom a police officer in Australia used a stun gun last week has died in a hospital, authorities said Wednesday, not long after charges were announced against the officer, who used the stun gun to fend her off when she approached him holding a steak knife.

The case sparked outrage across Australia when the circumstances of the confrontation between the woman, Clare Nowland, and the police officer emerged. Ms Nowland, who had dementia, used a walker and weighed 95 pounds, fell and fractured her skull after a senior officer used the stun gun on her at the care facility where she lived.

Police confirmed her death in a statement posted on social media. “Mrs Nowland passed away peacefully in hospital shortly after 7pm tonight, surrounded by family and loved ones who have requested privacy at this sad and difficult time,” said a New South Wales Police spokesman.

A few hours before her death, police said Kristian White, 33, the officer who used the gun, would be charged with recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault with actual bodily harm and common assault. Mr White, who has 12 years of experience as a police officer, is expected to appear in court on July 5. He has been suspended with full pay while the investigation continues.

According to Peter Cotter, the Assistant Commissioner of the New South Wales Police, police arrived early on May 17 at the Yallambee Lodge retirement home, where Ms Nowland lived, because of a report of a resident with a knife.

Ms Nowland, a great-grandmother, was “armed” with a “serrated” steak knife she retrieved from the kitchen, Mr Cotter said at a press conference last week. He added that attempts to negotiate with her were unsuccessful. “For whatever reason,” he said, “Clare didn’t drop the knife.”

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday before Ms Nowland’s death, Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the episode had also been “traumatic” for other officers.

“The New South Wales community has confidence in their police force,” she added. “This is one incident out of many, many calls for service, of the two million calls for service each year that we respond to, for all sorts of things.”

Mr White has not been charged with murder or manslaughter and the Commissioner said it was possible his charges could be amended. “It depends on what happens,” she said.

The episode, which was captured on a body camera, has sparked condemnation from many in Australia, particularly among human rights activists and disability advocates, who question whether the officer was responding adequately to the situation. Official guidelines for the New South Wales Police say stun guns should not be used on elderly or disabled people “unless there are exceptional circumstances.”