She died less than three hours after the electricity supply from state-owned Mercury Energy was disconnected to her house due to an outstanding balance.
The doctor who treated her the first time she was admitted to hospital believed that she only had one to three years, the normal prognosis for patients in her condition.
[6] In early May, Mr Muliaga had contacted Mercury Energy while his wife was in hospital to discuss the overdue account.
[7] The family have stated they told the contractor that the oxygen supply needed electricity to continue, but he responded that he was "just doing my job".
[9] This lack of a working telephone in the house meant it was too late to save Muliaga when emergency services were finally contacted.
He said he went to the media the night of the death in the hopes of finding an after-hours number for Mercury Energy to get the electricity supply reconnected.
A supervisor at the call-centre said that "she may have passed away in the last couple of days but… I know it's been hard but it's irrelevant" and that the electricity would not be reconnected until further payments were made.
[10] Her funeral at the Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand Incorporated Headquarters (Samani Pulepule Convention Centre) was attended by about 1,000 people.
[2] A large group of executives from the company and its parent visited the Muliaga's home on June 1 to offer their condolences.
These allegations were denied by the police, who said when they spoke to the two eldest sons, the interview was conducted by a Samoan officer, and the men chose to speak in English.
[14][15] The Coroner ruled Muliaga died of natural causes relating to being morbidly obese - but the stress of having her power disconnected and not being able to use her oxygen machine contributed to her death.
[19] However, it also recommended that medically dependent consumers should regularly test their back-up batteries and have an emergency plan in case of a prolonged blackout .