A jury has awarded $23 million to the family of an 82-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease who died after staying at a Northern California assisted living facility that was found liable for her death.

The Sacramento Bee reported Friday http://bit.ly/10rN5tn that a Sacramento County Superior Court jury ordered Seattle-based Emeritus Corp. to pay the punitive damages. Joan Boice's three children had filed the wrongful death and elder abuse lawsuit.

The jury found earlier in the week that Emeritus acted with malice, oppression and fraud in its treatment of Boice, who died in 2009 after three months in its Auburn facility. She had bed sores spreading over her body.

Emeritus spokeswoman Karen Lucas said the verdict was not "a fair reflection" of the woman's care. She says the company will appeal.