Is there no limit to the number of people who can blame diabetes? Apparently, he is now being held responsible for an incident in which a woman was assaulted and died.
Emma Bates, a 49-year-old woman from Cobram, rural Victoria, was found dead in her home on Tuesday. She was allegedly punched by her neighbor, causing severe injuries to her head and upper body.
Friends and family spoke about Emma, and in their eulogies they learned that she loved cats and was always helping people in the community. She had six siblings and among her family she was affectionately known as “Aunt Crazy Cat Lady.” It’s important to think about things like this. Counting the dead women in Australia It’s all too easy to get lost in the fear of rapidly increasing numbers and stop centering women behind each and every one of those numbers.
Emma also happened to have type 1 diabetes. And because she had type 1 diabetes, the man who allegedly assaulted her was not charged with manslaughter or murder. This is because it is uncertain whether her horrific injuries she sustained were the cause of her death or whether her diabetes was the cause. His 13 charges include intentional injury, reckless injury, aggravated assault on a woman and unlawful assault. This is from an Australian newspaper:
…Police told the family that murder or manslaughter charges were “off the table” because early autopsy tests were inconclusive as to the cause of Bates’ death.
She said tests could not confirm whether Ms. Bates’ injuries caused her death or whether her illness contributed.
Diabetes is blamed for everything.
Emma Bates. Please say her name. Please remember her name. She was one of us, one of our community. She lived with diabetes. And now it’s being used to lessen the severity of how her life ended.