Coroner hands down findings into the death of Kim Leonie Maree Szemes

A mother-of-two died alone in a house with no power, water or lighting after paramedics left at her request despite her “bizarre” behaviour, a coroner has found.

A HOBART woman who died alone in a freezing house after she refused to go to hospital with paramedics was found in a decomposed state by her son months after the tragic call-out, a coroner has found.

Coroner Simon Cooper said he could not understand why the 60-year-old was left alone in bed in a house with no power, water or lighting after neighbours alerted authorities that she had not been seen for several days.

Mr Cooper, in his findings released this week, said he was unable to determine the cause and exact date of Kim Leonie Maree Szemes’ death in her home in Marys Hope Rd, Rosetta.

The date of her death was between May 28 and October 8, 2018.

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Mr Cooper said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Mrs Szemes’ death, with no evidence of violence, assault or that her death was due to suicide.

Mrs Szemes lived alone and her mental health was in a state of decline at the time of her death.

She was admitted to the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Hobart Hospital a number of times from 2009, and Tasmania Police had also attended her property due to the nature of her interactions with Mental Health Services.

Royal Hobart Hospital. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

On May 28, 2018, neighbours telephoned police because they had not seen Mrs Szemes for several weeks.

Police went to her house and entered the property via a kitchen window. It was tidy but noticeably cold.

Mrs Szemes was in bed wearing a beanie and covered in several blankets. She was incoherent and struggling to speak.

An ambulance was called and arrived at 4.31pm.

Mr Cooper said police left under the impression that Mrs Szemes would be taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital.

“Instead, because she asked them to leave, they left her in bed at 6.16pm,” he said.

“Why they left is difficult to understand – especially given that the Ambulance Tasmania case description records that the house had no electricity, hot water or lighting.

“Mrs Szemes was difficult to understand and had poor enunciation. She had minimal fluid intake in recent days and was unable to tell paramedics how or when she washed.

“Despite these observations, there is nothing in the Ambulance Tasmania records indicating the attending paramedics considered whether Mrs Szemes had capacity to make an informed decision to refuse treatment.”

No-one saw Mrs Szemes alive after paramedics left her in bed that day.

On October 6 her son visited but his mother did not answer the door.

He went back the next day but did not see her then either. On his third visit on October 8 he forced entry into the residence and found his mother lying on the bedroom floor.

Police and paramedics found her “very obviously deceased and very badly decomposed.”