The Story of Ann Marie Smith
We at EBL are heartbroken over the story of Ann Marie Smith. As an organisation who
prides itself on community, inclusion and creating space for all to live rich and meaningful
lives, this tragic story has left us all utterly speechless. We can assure you all that what
happened to Ann Marie Smith has not ever happened, and could not ever happen to a
client in the care of EBL.
We share to follow the heartbreaking account as reported on by the ABC in May of this
year.
Ann Marie Smith was surrounded by
privilege but died in squalor — and her life
remains a mystery
By Leah MacLennan
Posted 23 May 2020
Most of Ann Marie Smith's neighbours
knew she was there, but reports of
when they last saw her vary wildly.
Key points:
• Ann Marie Smith's death has been
declared a major crime
• But little is known about the
54-year-old's life
• Neighbours rarely sighted the
woman who is believed to have
barely left her home
A couple several houses down said
it had been at least a decade since
they'd seen her outside, taking in the
sun in her wheelchair in her home's
driveway.
Another said it was more recent, but
still at least five years ago.
Whoever you talk to, it's safe to say
the residents of Bradman Court, in
suburban Adelaide, hadn't seen the
woman from number one in several
years.
"Virtually the whole day there were
about four or five police cars, plain
cars, forensic vans, people in full
protective suits, booties and the lot,"
is how Bram Fynnaart described the
scene when police came to the home.
"They were very friendly as we
walked past but they spent a lot of
time there."
What police knew, and neighbours
were learning, is that Ms Smith had
been living in horrific conditions for at
least a year.
She had cerebral palsy and was
unable to walk, eat or bathe for
herself.
Despite having a carer at her house
every day, police believe she'd been
left in the same chair day and night
and wasn't even moved to go to the
toilet.
When she was rushed to the Royal
Adelaide Hospital on April 5, she was
malnourished, in septic shock and in
need of surgery to remove rotting
flesh caused by severe pressure
sores.
She died the following day.
It was only when their street turned
into a scene from a television crime
show they realised something terrible
had been going on behind her closed
doors and drawn blinds.
A card left on the doorstep of Ann Marie Smith's house by a stranger.
(ABC News: Ben Nielsen)
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