WELLINGTON - The Court of Appeal has reserved its decision on appeals from five members of the Filimoehala family, jailed for the death of Angelina Edwards.
In September, Moana Leslie Filimoehala, aged 39, her husband Mavae Tangi, 52, daughter Kalina, 20, and son Mavae jun, 17, were convicted of manslaughter.
Another son,
Siope, 18, was convicted of grievously harming Angelina Edwards.
Angelina Edwards, 25, a schizophrenic and distant relative of Moana Filimoehala, lived in their house.
The family systematically abused her physically because they objected to her personal hygiene and toilet habits. Witnesses described her as a "walking corpse" when she was taken to hospital with external ulcers and stomach pains. She died a week later from a perforated ulcer.
The Filimoehala parents were jailed for 10 years, Kalina for eight, Mavae jun for six and Siope for four.
Lawyers for the five argued that though Angelina Edwards had external ulcers from the maltreatment, this might not have caused the stomach ulcer that caused the peritonitis that killed her.
It also might not have been obvious to all the family that she needed treatment.
- NZPA
