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๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia /Crime & Justice

Woman charged with murder after death of 'malnourished' non-verbal man

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • A 70-year-old woman has been charged with murder over the death of Isaac Oar, a non-verbal man with Down Syndrome.
  • Mr. Oar was found dead in August 2023, weighing only 29kg, with police citing years of neglect and lack of medical treatment.
  • The woman, arrested in Forest Lake, is expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court.

A 70-year-old woman faces a murder charge in connection with the death of Isaac Oar, a non-verbal man with Down Syndrome, who was found dead in August 2023. Police described the scene as "confronting" when they discovered the 56-year-old unresponsive at an address in Ayr, North Queensland.

Investigators revealed that Mr. Oar had been suffering from serious malnourishment, weighing a mere 29kg at the time of his death. Detective Inspector Jason Shepherd stated that Mr. Oar had not received professional medical treatment for well over a decade, emphasizing that such a low weight "doesn't happen overnight" and indicates "years of neglect."

He was only 29 kilos, that doesn't happen overnight.

โ€” Detective Inspector Jason ShepherdDescribing the severity of Isaac Oar's malnourishment.

Following a complex investigation into Mr. Oar's health, care, and treatment throughout his life, detectives from the Crime Command Homicide Investigation Unit and Ayr Criminal Investigation Branch arrested the woman on Tuesday. She is from Forest Lake and has been charged with one count of murder under domestic violence provisions. She is scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court.

There has obviously been years of neglect in some format.

โ€” Detective Inspector Jason ShepherdIndicating the prolonged nature of the neglect Isaac Oar suffered.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.