Family of disabled man who died fused to chair ‘let down’

Lanitola Epenisa died sitting in his own waste and fused to a chair, in a 4-bedroom south Auckland house shared with 16 other adults, Stuff reports. His wife, Malia Li, was found guilty by a jury of the manslaughter of her husband, but lawyer and disability advocate Huhana Hickey told Stuff that Epenisa’s family had fallen through the cracks. She said culture and language issues were also likely at play. Meanwhile, Li’s laywer Mark Ryan told jurors the health provider Taikura Trust failed to make any contact with Mr Epenisa in the six months before his death.