Former Integrity Care co-director pleads guilty as family seeks justice for neglected Adelaide woman
Amy June Collins, ex-co-director of Integrity Care SA, admitted reckless conduct in the death of Ann Marie Smith, while her relatives delivered emotional impact statements in South Australia’s District Court.
Ann Marie Smith, a 54-year-old Adelaide resident with cerebral palsy, died in April 2020 after more than a year of severe neglect while under the care of Integrity Care SA. In a District Court hearing, her brother Steven and uncle Glen recounted the suffering she endured and urged the court to strengthen protections for vulnerable people. Former co-director Amy June Collins, charged with reckless conduct, expressed remorse through her lawyer Chad Jacobi KC, who argued the fault lay with the carer Rosa Maione, previously convicted of manslaughter.
The original criminal neglect charge against Collins was dropped, and all charges against co-director Alison Maree Virgo were dismissed. Collins faces up to five years in prison and will appear again in September for sentencing. The family hopes the case will prompt systemic reforms in disability care oversight.
Why it matters
The case highlights failures in disability care oversight and may drive reforms to protect vulnerable Australians.
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