Coroner's Finding: Fowle, Colleen Margaret
Deceased
Colleen Margaret Fowle
Demographics
78y, female
Date of death
2023-04-18
Finding date
2026-06-19
Cause of death
urinary tract infection and pneumonia on a background of facial fractures and dementia
AI-generated summary
A 78-year-old woman with mixed dementia living in aged care suffered an unwitnessed fall on 22 March 2023, sustaining facial fractures and eye laceration. The fractures were not identified during her initial hospital assessment as radiological imaging was not deemed necessary, despite head injury. She was discharged and gradually deteriorated with declining oral intake and mobility. Readmitted on 15 April with urinary tract infection, pneumonia, severe hypernatraemia, and hyperosmolality, she died on 18 April. The coroner found the overall care appropriate and that the failure to identify fractures did not contribute to death, as they would have been managed conservatively. Her death resulted from natural progression of underlying dementia and infections. No recommendations were made.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- unwitnessed fall on 22 March 2023 causing facial fractures
- fractures not identified in initial hospital assessment
- reduced oral intake following facial injuries
- reduced mobility from fall
- recurrent urinary tract infections
- development of pneumonia
- severe dementia affecting care compliance and communication
- hypernatraemia and hyperosmolality
- behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia
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