Lismore Woman Was Left To Die For 78 Years By Family, Say Gardaí

A WIDOWER was left to die a very long, cold, agonising and monotonous death for 78 years by her own family members, an inquest has found today.

Margarette Palmer, 78, was discovered at her her home in Lismore, Co. Waterford, in May 2010.

An inquest found that Mrs Palmer died from a life time of ‘wear and tear’ and was also left by family members to wander through life unaided.

A post mortem revealed the pensioners body deteriorated over the past 78 years since her birth and the coroner said ‘it just gave up in the end, probably due to a lack of support’.

The vulnerable OAP had snubbed help from social workers. But furious residents in her home town said more could have been done to prevent the tragedy after they had warned the family that she was growing very old indeed.

Last night neighbour John Keane, 45, said: “It defies belief that this could be allowed to happen in this day and age. How could a family leave a person die like this over such a long period of time?

“She needed help for 78 years and not one family member took any action. She was doomed from the get-go.

“It’s horrifying to think about her dying for all that time. We don’t know exactly how she died but it was probably from all those years of just being left there to die.”

Mr Keane admitted Margaret was “stubborn” but said family members who visited her should have shown more “Enthusiasm”.

A family spokeswoman said they took “various steps throughout Mrs. Palmers life” to help her. But said the retired Bank Clerk would not let anyone fuss over her.

“Mam was always a proud woman. She never wanted any of us to make a big deal about her age.

“As a family we really don’t know what to say about these allegations.

Gardai could not confirm the cause of Mrs. Palmers death but said there were no suspicious circumstances. However, a life time of neglect of the great grand-mother was probably the cause. The inquest is said to continue into the early part of next week.