Cooma: A Quiet Town with a Rich History
Cooma is a charming country town in New South Wales, located about 115 kilometers south of Canberra.
Home to a small population of roughly 750 people, it provides a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of city living. Once a bustling hub during the gold rush, Cooma has embraced a more relaxed and tranquil lifestyle over the years.
Known as the gateway to the Snowy Mountains, Cooma attracts visitors with its scenic beauty and proximity to alpine adventures. Sitting at an elevation of 800 meters, the town experiences a unique climate, with occasional light snowfall from mid-June to early November.
A Chilling Morning in Cooma: The Start of a Tragedy
On Saturday, April 23, 2023, Cooma awoke to freezing temperatures just above zero degrees Celsius before sunrise. At 4:00 a.m., staff at Yallambee Lodge, a local aged care facility, placed an urgent triple-zero call. They reported an elderly resident wielding “two little knives” and threatening a nurse, Rosalie Barker. The emergency set off a chain of events that would tragically end with the death of a beloved community member.
The Search for Clare Nowland: A Harrowing Sequence of Events
Paramedics Anna Hofner and Kingsley Newman arrived an hour later,
followed closely by police officers Kristian White and Jessica Pank. The care home staff, emergency responders, and police began searching for 95-year-old Clare Nowland. Despite being frail, weighing only 43 kilograms, and using a walking frame, Mrs Nowland initially eluded them. At one point, searchers passed within five meters of her without noticing. They eventually found her sitting in a treatment room with a serrated knife in her hand.
An Escalation No One Expected
The staff and officers urged Mrs Nowland to drop the knife, but their pleas only intensified her distress.
She rose from her chair, gripping her walker with one hand and making stabbing motions with the other. Moving slowly toward the officers, she ignored repeated commands to put the knife down. Senior Constable White then drew his Taser, warned her three more times, and finally discharged the weapon. The Taser hit Mrs Nowland in the chest, causing her to fall backward, striking her head on the floor.
A Heartbreaking Outcome and Legal Fallout
Mrs Nowland was rushed to the hospital with a fractured skull deemed too risky for surgery. 
She passed away one week later, surrounded by her grieving family. Her death sparked widespread outrage, as many questioned the necessity of using a Taser on such a vulnerable individual. Senior Constable White now faces manslaughter charges, while the incident continues to raise serious concerns about police use of force and the treatment of elderly individuals with dementia. Cooma remains shaken by the tragic loss of a remarkable woman who once skydived at 80 and inspired many in her community.
