Oslo municipality fined for death of 63-year-old woman

Norway's capital city Oslo has been sentenced to a fine of 1.5 million kroner (177, 242 U.S. dollars) after a 63-year-old woman died as a result of lack of care by the municipality, public broadcaster NRK reported Thursday.

The woman was sent home from Madserud nursing home in January 2015 and died seven months later of heart failure combined with emaciation, NRK reported.

According to Oslo police, the 63-year-old woman was diagnosed with dementia in 2014 and was given short-term care at nursing home.

She was moved back to her own home at the beginning of 2015, and was provided home nursing services.

Eventually, the services were stepped down and canceled.

Despite several concerns reported to the district authorities, the woman did not receive adequate follow-up and health care and was found dead in her home in August 2015.

The municipality of Oslo was previously fined with 2 million kroner on Aug. 8, 2016. The municipality acknowledged a penalty, but did not accept the amount of the fine.

The case was therefore brought before the Oslo district court, which has now sentenced the city of Oslo with a fine of 1.5 million kroner.

"The woman died of heart failure in combination with emaciation and weighed 36 kilograms at the time of autopsy. That is about 30 kilograms less than what she weighed one year before she died. The fact that she died as a result of the lack of follow-up makes the case harsh and very serious," the judgment stated.

"As the court considers it, the case is also harsh because a human being has got an unworthy end of life. She died, among other things due to malnutrition, and she has been dead in her home over time without anyone finding her," it was written in the judgment.

"We think this is a good and thorough judgment and the prosecutor is pleased that the court has assessed the case in the same way as we did," police lawyer Tone Bysting told NRK.

She said they are satisfied with the sentence, even though it is 500,000 kroner lower than the originally required.

"It shows the seriousness of this case," Bysting said, adding that the judgment showed that it is the municipality of Oslo who has the responsibility and that the health offer the woman received was not good enough.

"As far as we know, they have already taken action and launched quite large measures to prevent this from happening again. This is also important for other municipalities and health trust, because it emphasizes the seriousness of their responsibility for patients and residents," Bysting said.

The verdict is not enforceable now and the municipality has two weeks to consider appeal, NRK reported. Endit