An elderly great-grandmother tasered by police during an incident at a Cooma nursing home last week has died.
New South Wales police confirmed Clare Nowland, 95, died “peacefully” in hospital just after 7pm on Wednesday, surrounded by family and loved ones.
Nowland, who had dementia, was hospitalised in a critical condition after falling and fracturing her skull during the confrontation with officers at Yallambee Lodge on 17 May.
Police previously said they had been called to the facility and found Nowland holding a serrated steak knife and using a walking frame before the taser was deployed.
Senior Constable Kristian White, 33, was charged earlier on Wednesday evening with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault.
He was suspended from duty on full pay and is due to appear in court on 5 July.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb earlier said it was possible the charges against Senior Constable White could be upgraded if circumstances were to change.
“In NSW you’re innocent until proven guilty, [and] he is afforded the same as any other resident,” she said.
“It is possible [the charges could be upgraded], it depends on what happens.”
Commissioner Webb previously said she had not seen the police body-cam footage of the incident.
The commissioner said she wanted to review the footage when she had a clearer picture of what had happened.
Pressure has been growing for NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley to view the vision, over concerns public confidence in the force has eroded. (RNZ)
