Veronica Nelson treated inhumanely earlier than jail demise, jail officer concedes

CCTV exhibits Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different prison officers present Nelson with paracetamol though a cell entice door about 1.30am. It was the last time employees noticed her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 further requires help over the prison intercom, including a closing two conversations Lacy described as “haunting” and “chilling”. Nothing was heard from Nelson after 4am. Her physique was discovered later that morning.

Attending paramedics believed she had been lifeless for a while.

Taking to the witness stand for the primary time on Friday after a failed Supreme Court docket fight to suppress her identity, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve performed more to assist Nelson throughout her closing hours.

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and should have gone to test on the 37-year-old after the inmate grew to become unresponsive throughout her closing intercom call. She also accepted Nelson was deprived of “adequate” medical care throughout her stay and never treated humanely.

The jail officer was additionally important of the medical care supplied to inmates and the situation during which some arrived on the Yarra unit. She said night time nurses usually refused to walk the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers through the night time.

Prison officers should not permitted to call triple zero and extra senior employees would should be contacted to do that in any emergency, Brown mentioned.

An autopsy later found Nelson had the undiagnosed medical condition Wilkie’s syndrome, a rare but doubtlessly life-threatening gastrointestinal condition.

Rishi Nathwani, representing Nelson’s mother, was critical of Brown’s action and pressed the prison officer on an inner overview that praised her actions.

Nathwani said in the review, Dame Phyllis Frost normal manager Tracey Jones mentioned she was “proud” of the way Nelson was handled in her closing hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Jail CCTV exhibits Tracey Brown, far proper, attending Nelson’s jail cell alongside nurse Atheana George about 1.30am the day of Nelson’s demise.

On the stand, Brown disagreed. Jones is due to give proof next week.

Images and audio contained on this story had been launched to the media with permission from the family. For 24/7 crisis assist run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander folks, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).