Shocking revelations about a missing inheritance and mystery loans emerge in Annie Smith NDIS neglect case
Ann Marie Smith’s bank account was steadily drained of large sums of money in the last years of her life – now pictures of the carer at the centre of a manslaughter investigation can be revealed for the first time.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- The mystery of Annie Smith’s missing gold jewellery
- Annie Smith taskforce makes first recommendations
A large cash inheritance left to neglect victim Ann Marie Smith has been steadily drained from her bank account, police investigations have revealed.
It is one of a number of startling financial irregularities detectives have uncovered as the manslaughter investigation into her death continues.
Besides the withdrawn cash inheritance, left to Ms Smith by her parents in 2009, detectives have revealed she took out two separate loans totalling $70,000 over the past six years – the proceeds of which have vanished.
The loans, which were obtained from small lending companies, were allegedly for travel and buying a new vehicle – neither of which Ms Smith did.
Major Crime case officer Detective Senior Sergeant Phil Neagle said because of Ms Smith’s physical disability, it was “most unlikely’’ she would have obtained the loans without assistance from another person.
“They were significant loans. We know she did not travel or buy a new car after they were taken out, but the money is now gone,’’ he said.
Similarly, detectives are also trying to ascertain the circumstances in which the cash from Ms Smith’s bank account has been systematically withdrawn – particularly in recent years. The money, along with her home, her mother’s jewellery and a vehicle, was left to Ms Smith following the death of her parents in 2009.
While police recognise many withdrawals will be for legitimate expenses, the overall amount withdrawn exceeds what would normally be expended.
“It is a large amount, a lot of money. That line of inquiry is in its infancy, but an excessive amount of money seems to have been withdrawn in recent years,’’ Snr-Sgt Neagle said.
“Ann may well have spent some of the money herself, but we are now trying to ascertain how much and if any has been removed unlawfully from her account and where it went.’’
While Ms Smith – who preferred to be called Annie – was known to be generous to her friends, it is possible this generosity may have been exploited by unknown individuals.
The revelation comes just days after Major Crime detectives revealed $35,000 worth of custom-made gold hair clips and bangles are missing from Ms Smith’s Kensington Park home – and that a mystery driver had been using her car (full story below).
The revelations the jewellery is missing and that Ms Smith’s bank account has been depleted has added a sad but sinister twist to the appalling neglect case that has prompted top-level investigations into her death at both a state and national level.
The Major Crime investigation is examining the criminal liability of those who had a responsibility to deliver appropriate care to Ms Smith before her death from septic shock and organ failure linked to severe neglect.
Her carer for the past seven years, Rosemary Maione, 69, was employed by provider Integrity Care (SA) Ltd until she was sacked on May 18 – just days after the police investigation was revealed.
The police investigation into the death of Ms Smith has developed into one of the most unique undertaken by Major Crime detectives. The 17-strong Taskforce Giles comprises senior homicide investigators, detectives from the Coroner’s Investigation Section and Financial Investigations Section, and forensic response officers.
Detectives have so far searched a number of premises as part of the inquiry, along with executing search warrants in SA and interstate to obtain business records and other documents.
Ms Smith died aged 54 in the Royal Adelaide Hospital on April 6, the day after Ms Maione called an ambulance to Ms Smith’s Kensington Park home. When they arrived, the ambulance officers were appalled at what they were confronted with.
Evidence indicates Ms Smith had spent most of the year leading up to her death in an almost sedentary state, living in putrid conditions in a woven cane chair in the lounge room of her home.
The cane chair and carpet underneath it was soaked in urine and faeces to the extent that when removed, the cement slab was stained and soiled.
When admitted to hospital in a semiconscious state, Ms Smith was suffering septic shock from severe pressure sores, organ failure, extremely poor dental hygiene and malnutrition. After major surgery, she was given palliative care and passed away the next day.
After being advised several days later that Ms Smith died of septic shock and multiple organ failure due to neglect, police launched an investigation. Initially examined by Coroner’s Section investigators, the inquiry was upgraded and Taskforce Giles formed on April 17 after her living conditions were examined and the extent of her neglect uncovered.
Police investigations at her home revealed there was no refrigerator and no food of any nutritional value in the house. The food that was there included potato chips, packets of Cup of Soup, chocolate and soft drink. Pasta with an expiry date of 2014 was also located.
Astonishingly, there was no lifting device in the house to assist Ms Smith’s carer in washing her and changing her clothing – which appears to have been infrequent.
It is understood the bathroom and toilet had not been used for some time – both were in a dusty, unclean condition. An almost full tube of toothpaste located in the bathroom had an expiry date of 2017. Sadly, Ms Smith’s disability rendered her unable to clean her own teeth.
Even more disturbingly, detectives have discovered no evidence she received any medical treatment in the past few years of her life, with an appeal made for any medical practitioner, physiotherapist, dentist or nurse who may have assisted her since 2015 to come forward.
Family photographs of Ms Smith taken at a Christmas lunch in 2011 show her in a healthy, happy state.
Detectives have located medical records for her until 2015, but nothing since. Her health is known to have deteriorated since that date, particularly following a fall in 2018 – after which she was virtually immobile and does not appear to have left her home.
“Her health was declining and she was confined to a chair,” Snr-Sgt Neagle said.
“We would have expected as your health is declining you would see a corresponding increase in medical care, not an absence of it.’’
While she was relatively immobile, Ms Smith still managed to communicate using her mobile phone and iPad. Those she spoke to and messaged regularly included her carer and a male friend she listed as her next of kin who lives in country SA. While she has a brother, they had been estranged since their parents died in 2009.
Ms Maione, who lives at Hectorville with her son Vincenzo, had been working as Ms Smith’s carer for the past six years, despite not holding a disability services employment clearance as required under legislation. She was being paid to care for Ms Smith – including feeding and washing her – for six hours per day, seven days a week under the NDIS.
Integrity Care applied for her clearance certificate following Ms Smith’s death and it was granted on April 24, but it was subsequently cancelled on May 18 just days after the police investigation was revealed.
Police believe that besides Ms Maione, Ms Smith had no other regular visitors in recent years. Detectives are trying to ascertain the identity of a middle-aged man and woman who were seen at the house on several occasions in October and November last year.
The pair, who were not Integrity Care employees, may have been providing care to Ms Smith while Ms Maione was unable to for an unknown reason.
In her 2018 fall Ms Smith was not injured, but an ambulance was called because she could not be lifted from the ground.
“We believe she never left the house after that incident. Prior to that her neighbours would often see her out walking her dogs and enjoying the sunshine,’’ Snr-Sgt Neagle said.
While Ms Smith did attend a hairdresser on the Parade at Norwood, she stopped attending and her hairdresser “Pat’’ attended her home. Detectives want Pat to contact them.
The Major Crime investigation – which could result in criminal charges – is running parallel with the coroner’s inquiry that is examining the cause and circumstances of her death. It will include examining systems, policies and procedures and anything that could have been done to prevent not just her death, but also prevent others.
Snr-Sgt Neagle said detectives were working with other state and federal agencies to examine the role of everyone involved in the provision of care to Ms Smith.
Detectives have also used the services of the Australian Water Quality Control as part of the inquiry. Several of its officers conducted examination at the scene to locate faecal matter and bacteria within Ms Smith’s home and examine the immediate area where the cane chair was located.
“While we will not reveal the results of their examinations, we can say it has assisted the investigation,’’ Snr-Sgt Neagle said.
Along with executing a search warrant on Ms Maione’s home, on May 4 detectives also searched the Edwardstown offices of Integrity Care, seizing financial and other records. Detectives are also in the process of executing warrants to obtain further records stored in the cloud and on interstate servers.
Investigations have so far revealed that besides Ms Maione, it is unlikely any other employee of Integrity Care ever visited Ms Smith’s Kensington Park home. It is highly likely if that had occurred, action would have been taken to upgrade the care being given to her.
“The area she was spending her life was putrid. There is no way anyone who was not being neglected could live in such a rancid environment,’’ Snr-Sgt Neagle said.
“To a visitor, that was obvious. The house still stinks today, it is horrible.’’
Annie’s car used by unknown driver
A vehicle owned by disabled woman Annie Smith was used by an unknown person on multiple occasions over a four-year period, it has been revealed.
The individual who used the silver Honda Accord – the latest occasion just weeks before her sickening and tragic death in April – racked up four traffic infringement notices worth $2000 during that period and then used Ms Smith’s money to pay the fines.
As a result of the four traffic infringements, Ms Smith accumulated the maximum number of demerit points within a three-year period, making her ineligible to hold a driver’s licence for three months in 2018 – even though she never held one.
Two of the traffic infringements were speed camera fines incurred on Gage St at Firle on the same day in August 2015, while the other two were red arrow camera offences on Main North Rd at Enfield in February 2018, and on Magill Rd at Norwood in January 2017.
Ms Smith died suffering septic shock from severe pressure sores, organ failure, extremely poor dental hygiene and malnutrition. Police have launched a manslaughter investigation into her death.
Detectives have not established who was driving Ms Smith’s vehicle during the four-year period, but have revealed the vehicle was also taken from the garage of her Kensington Park home for several months earlier this year.
“It appears that sometime earlier this year a person had parked a smaller, older car with flat tyres in her garage and taken and used Annie’s car,’’ Major Crime case officer Detective Senior Sergeant Phil Neagle said.
“We would like to hear from anyone who saw her car being taken out of her garage earlier this year and again when it was returned shortly before her death.’’
Although Ms Smith could not drive because of her disability, the Honda Accord was left to her when her mother passed away in 2009 and was registered in her name.
“Previous carers have told us they used to drive her around in the car for errands and to visit people, to go shopping and to visit a friend in the southeast,’’ Snr-Sgt Neagle said.
“What is particularly disturbing is that between 2015 and 2018 there were four expiation notices issued in relation to the vehicle. The fines, which were in excess of $2000, were paid for by Annie.”
Police have discovered the four fines were paid at post offices using Ms Smith’s funds.
Anyone with any information on who may have been driving the silver Honda Accord between 2015 and March this year or who left the older car in her garage this year is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Originally published as Shocking revelations about a missing inheritance and mystery loans emerge in Annie Smith NDIS neglect case