The death of a woman living with disabilities in a squalid home is being investigated as a major crime after police found "significant indicators of criminal neglect".
An ambulance was called to the 26-year-old's home in Port Augusta on Thursday after she fell and could not be moved, South Australian police say.
"When they arrived, they found the victim was suffering a serious medical condition and had open wounds and sores, and the house was in squalid conditions," said Major Crime commander Detective Superintendent Des Bray.
The woman was taken to Port Augusta Hospital in a serious condition which then deteriorated. She was flown to Royal Adelaide Hospital, where she died on Monday.
She lived with her mother at the home and had significant physical and intellectual disabilities that required ongoing care and support, as well as serious underlying health issues, Det Supt Bray said.
The house was squalid and not fit for human habitation, he said. Police are investigating whether criminal neglect was involved and who might be responsible.
"I can say that there's significant indicators present in the investigation at this stage of criminal neglect, but it's unclear at this stage whether that criminal neglect caused the death, or whether the death was caused by serious underlying health issues," Det Supt Bray said.
"Criminal neglect of anybody is a very, very serious charge and attracts large penalties, and then obviously you've got criminal neglect that results in death, which is akin to a manslaughter."
Police are conducting a search and forensic examination of the house, and have seized medical records from a local doctor and the hospital.
The woman was not under the care of the NDIS and police have not been able to identify any current care plan, Det Supt Bray said.
"The disabilities that the victim had were such that she would have been an ideal person to be under the NDIS and to receive whatever support was available from any other agency," he said.
There may be people other than the woman's mother who either had a role, or should have had a role, in providing care, Det Supt Bray said.
"So we won't jump to conclusions as to who is solely criminal, criminally liable," he said.
There were both similarities and distinctions to the death of Adelaide woman Ann Marie Smith in 2020, Det Supt Bray said.
Ms Smith died from severe septic shock, malnutrition, multiple organ failure and other complications from her cerebral palsy while in full-time care.
