THE CHILDREN of a woman who died after a nine-hour siege in Stockton said their mother was unwell and the police response had been distressing and heartbreaking.
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Krista Kach lost her life after she was hit by a bean bag round and Tasered by officers who had been called about 12.30pm on Thursday.
Police, including specialist tactical officers, managed to get into the 47-year-old woman's flat on the corner of Mitchell Street and Queen Street about 9.45pm.
Her family released a public statement on Monday, September 18 detailing the trauma surrounding Ms Kach's death and her vulnerability.
"Krista, our mother, cared deeply about us, her family, and community," the statement said.
"She was a strong and independent woman.
"She had experienced some mental distress in her life because her life was quite tough, but she was well- connected with her own health and her family were advocating for her wellbeing with the police prior to the shooting incident."
NSW Premier Chris Minns is resisting calls for a parliamentary inquiry, saying the public should have confidence in investigations already under way.
The family said they had told police "in no uncertain terms" that Ms Kach was not well the day of the operation and needed help.
"We were assured that the police would look after our mother and that she would be cared for by a hospital and qualified medical professionals," the statement said.
"Our mother was not a dangerous person, she has lived through difficult circumstances but she was a loving and capable person that cared for people and her family.
"The only person in danger when the police broke into our mother's home and the many hours leading up to that moment, was our mother."
The family said the way the police response unfolded on Thursday was disturbing and heartbreaking.
They said their mother was a vulnerable person who had just been told she would soon be homeless.
Ms Kach's family said when police told them their mother had died, they did not say how, and they found out through the media that officers had discharged weapons.
They have asked for privacy while they grapple with their loss, but have called for a thorough and independent investigation into how things went "so dreadfully wrong".
The family spoke out as a Greens MP leads the calls for a parliamentary inquiry into NSW Police and their actions during the Stockton siege.
Police said at the time the woman had threatened officers with an axe when they arrived at the scene.
She was taken by ambulance to John Hunter Hospital where she later died.
NSW Greens MP and spokesperson for justice Sue Higginson on Monday said four hours of video footage before police burst into the Stockton flat showed Ms Kach "scared, alone, unarmed and experiencing a mental health episode" while police hover in riot gear.
"It's hard to fathom the extent to which our system has failed Krista and her family," Ms Higginson said.
"We must never let this happen again."
Ms Higginson said a family member had told her they tried to tell police at the scene that Ms Kach was having a mental health episode and needed help.
"Police could see she was unarmed, she told them consistently for hours on end that she was safe and that they, in number dressed in black riot gear heavily clad with lethal weapons, were the only thing that was unsafe and making her feel unsafe," Ms Higginson said.
Ms Higginson said the system was failing vulnerable people.
Mr Minns said his government would not support a parliamentary inquiry but would assess the Greens' proposal.
Issues with recruitment in various essential sectors put more pressure on police and the government was considering how to address the issue, he said.
"Obviously we're looking at it, it's important to the state (because) we're seeing an increased number of call-outs for medical or mental health emergencies," Mr Minns said.
"But I do have confidence that we've got critical incident teams in place (and) ... the public can have confidence that there's a strong oversight body in place."
Police Tasered 95-year-old Clare Nowland at a Cooma aged care facility in May, and she sadly died in the days afterwards.
An internal investigation is under way after police shot a 32-year-old man in Darlinghurst, who was allegedly armed with a knife, after being called to a welfare check about 4.40pm on Sunday.
An internal investigation led by homicide squad detectives has been launched into Ms Kach's death.
"The police are not equipped to deal with such situations, that's why we keep seeing vulnerable people killed at the hands of police," Ms Higginson said.
She has escalated her calls to the government and opposition to support the establishment of a Select Committee of Inquiry to investigate police responses to vulnerable people, and accountability.
NSW Police Association president Kevin Morton said officers shouldn't be handling serious mental health incidents.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Men's Referral Service 1300 776 491; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
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