Cooma woman, 95, fights for life after being Tasered by police in nursing home

Police Commissioner Karen Webb has broken her silence as a 95-year-old dementia patient, mother-of-eight and beloved volunteer worker fights for life after being Tasered by police.

Clare Rowland, 95, is fighting for life after being tasered by police who found her armed with a knife in a nursing home in southern NSW on Wednesday.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb says she “shares the community’s concerns” about why officers used their Tasers on a 95-year-old dementia patient with a knife at a southern NSW nursing home.

Clare Nowland, a mother of eight, was standing at her walking frame in the Yallambee Lodge near Cooma on Wednesday when she was found holding a knife, prompting staff to call police, about 4.15am.

It is understood in an effort to disarm the great-grandmother, a police officer discharged his Taser, causing Mrs Nowland to fall to the ground and hit her head, suffering a fractured skull and a brain bleed.

As the 95-year-old continues to fight for life in Cooma Hospital, NSW Police have confirmed officers from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad are investigating the incident.

The critical incident team will investigate the discharge of the a taser by the senior constable, and that officer’s duty status is under review.

A woman is fighting for life after being Tasered by police who found her armed with a knife in a nursing home. Picture: Google Maps

Mrs Nowland’s shattered family spent Thursday by her side in Cooma District Hospital and admitted they were “grieving”, not expecting her to survive.

“We expect our aged care facilities to be places of safety and people with dementia can be very trying, so we try to have professional facilities to help us with these people as they progress towards the end of life,” family spokesperson and local independent political candidate Andrew Thaler said.

“How can the police be scared of a 95-year-old woman?

“That’s going to be the community’s outrage and community question.”

Police Commissioner Karen Webb. Picture: John Grainger

In an initial statement, NSW Police said simply: “an elderly woman sustained injuries during an interaction with police at an aged care facility”.

“A critical incident team will now investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the statement read.

“That investigation will be subject to independent review. No further details are available at this time.”

In a later statement Commissioner Webb said: “My thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.

“I understand and share the community concerns, and assure you that we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness.”

COMMUNITY SHOCK

Mrs Nowland’s incident has shocked and saddened the local community, where she had been involved for decades as a member of the Cooma Golf Club and St Patrick’s Parish.

Former St Patrick’s Parish Priest Mick MacAndrew said Mrs Nowland’s links to the church and town went back generations.

“They were a very devoted family here, going back to her own parents,” Fr MacAndrew said.

“She was at our daily mass when she was well before she went in to Yallambee (Lodge).”

Mrs Nowland was also known around Cooma as a community figure worked at St Vincent de Paul for a number of years and also helped the elderly.

“She was a member of St Vincent’s de Paul in Cooma and she would help out at the school when her children were there,” Fr MacAndrew said.

Another source told this publication: “She’s a helper and just loves helping people.”

“She’s just always been a part of the community.”

Mrs Nowland, who was herself one of 16 children, had lived alone with her children after the death of her husband some decades ago.

It is understood she moved into the Yallambee Lodge nursing home about five years ago, when she was no longer able to care for herself.

The Snowy Monaro Regional Council runs the facility where the incident occurred.

Its chief operating officer, Jeff Morgan, said the facility’s carers and nurses followed procedures during the incident and did what was needed in the circumstances.

He said the incident would also need to be reported to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

Mr Morgan said, with the matter now under investigation by police and out of respect for the family, he could not offer further comment.

Originally published as Cooma woman, 95, fights for life after being Tasered by police in nursing home