A mother testified in court about her daughter's premonition of her own death. Therese Bjørnnes said her daughter Linea told her, "One day he will kill me."
Linea Bjørnnes was found lifeless in her apartment in Stjørdal municipality on December 17 last year. She died at the hospital shortly after. A man in his 30s stands accused of murder but denies criminal guilt.
The mother described her last phone conversation with Linea on December 8. They planned for her and Linea's sister to visit days later. "I thought it might be the last time I saw her," the mother told the court.
Linea later canceled the visit, explaining she hadn't settled into her new apartment properly. Days later, her mother received a video showing the apartment decorated for Christmas. The accused man appeared at the end, waving at the camera.
Linea had previously told her mother the man took control of her life when she moved into municipal housing in Stjørdal. She reported him for 19 separate incidents, but all cases were closed.
The mother testified the man controlled Linea's phone, forcing her to communicate with family through Snapchat where messages disappeared. Linea would secretly call from her bathroom when the man slept.
Linea had recently been released from Skien prison in December. Her sister testified she was in good spirits during incarceration, exercising and making future plans. She wanted to change her name and move away from Stjørdal to escape the troubled environment.
However, as her release approached, authorities informed the family that Stjøndal municipality would be responsible for her placement. "Then Linea began to see life darkly and talked about how this would go," her mother said.
Following her death, the County Governor has opened investigations into Stjøndal municipality, Health Nord-Trøndelag, and Fosen child welfare services.
A municipal employee testified that Linea was initially positive after prison release. "She was very motivated to improve her life. She wanted to exercise and use drugs as little as possible."
When prosecutors asked if measures were planned to prevent contact between Linea and the accused man, the employee responded, "We can recommend no contact, but we have no authority to keep him away from Linea."
The mother described severe impacts from her daughter's death, including concentration difficulties, sleep problems, and daily functioning challenges. "It's not just one life destroyed. The ripple effects are enormous."
Linea died at St. Olav's Hospital with her mother and two sisters present. According to the indictment, the man allegedly killed her by placing toilet paper in her mouth and covering it with a scarf, causing suffocation.
The man acknowledged the events but claimed he didn't understand how they led to her death. "Absolutely not. I don't want to take anyone's life, especially not hers," he told the court.
He explained they had argued that evening and his actions were meant to calm himself and the situation. "I wanted to control the unrest in the situation."
The autopsy report cited brain damage from oxygen deprivation as the cause of death, though the examination found no explanation for how the oxygen deprivation occurred. Tests revealed amphetamines in Linea's system, but doctors considered this unlikely to be the primary cause of death.
The case highlights concerning gaps in Norway's protection systems for vulnerable individuals transitioning from institutional care back into communities.