Updated Council statement: incident at Yallambee Lodge

Published on 19 May 2023

Snowy Monaro Regional Council continues to support our staff, residents, and families following a serious incident at the Yallambee Lodge aged care facility on Wednesday 17 May.

A report has been made to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

We cannot provide further information or comment due to the ongoing police investigation, and the legislation and guidelines governing resident privacy for aged care providers.

We ask that the media please respect the privacy of our aged care residents, residents’ families, and aged care workers.

Our focus remains on supporting and caring for the residents of Yallambee Lodge during this exceptionally difficult time.

All queries regarding police conduct and the ongoing investigation should be directed to NSW Police.

NSW Police released the following statement on the morning of Friday 19 May:

Police [addressed] media as a critical incident investigation continues following an interaction with a 95-year-old woman in Cooma.

About 4.15am on Wednesday (17 May 2023), emergency services were called to an aged care facility on Binalong Crescent, Cooma, after reports a resident was armed with a knife.

Officers attached to Monaro Police District attended, along with NSW Ambulance paramedics, and located the woman, still armed with a knife.

Police attempted to speak to the woman. During this interaction, a senior constable discharged his taser, causing the woman to fall and strike her head.

The 95-year-old woman was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before she was taken to Cooma District Hospital, where she remains in a critical condition.

A critical incident team comprised of officers from State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the discharge of a taser.

That investigation is subject to independent review.

The officer’s duty status is under review.