Death inquest to focus on money as a motive

AN inquest into the death of an elderly woman in a nearfreezing shipping container will examine whether her level of care was motivated by money.

Janet Mackozdi, 77, died of hypothermia in July 2010 while spending one night sleeping in the converted container at her daughter and sonin-law’s Mt Lloyd property.

Five years later, Jassy Anglin and husband Michael Anglin were convicted of Ms Mackozdi’s manslaughter.

On the opening day of the inquest yesterday, counsel assisting the coroner Allison Shand said the Anglins may have spent her money for their own use.

Ms Shand said it needed to be determined if care was withheld intentionally. Ms Mackozdi’s financial planners, as well as doctors, health staff and friends and family, are expected to give evidence in the coming days. Constable Nicholas Monk, who took photos of the shipping container in the days after her death, said it had inch-wide gaps around the door.

“The windows and doors didn’t fit correctly to allow for the shipping container to be sealed,” he said.

Constable Timothy James described the makeshift home as “cluttered”.

Ms Mackozdi weighed just 40kg and had dementia and mobility problems.

She was placed in a bed in the shipping container on a July night in 2010 as the family’s dilapidated hut was full of boxes from moving house. It is estimated the temperature dropped to as low as 0.1C overnight. He body was found the next morning.

The Anglins initially said she had died on a trip to Mount Field National Park. Ms Shand said the inquest would play an important part in the nationwide issue of elder abuse.