Veronica Nelson treated inhumanely before jail death, prison officer concedes

CCTV shows Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different jail officers provide Nelson with paracetamol though a cell entice door about 1.30am. It was the last time staff noticed her alive.

Throughout Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make nine additional calls for help over the jail 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 dead for a while.

Taking to the witness stand for the first time on Friday after a failed Supreme Courtroom combat to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve carried out more to help Nelson during her last hours.

Brown accepted she had a duty of care to Nelson and will have gone to check on the 37-year-old after the inmate grew to become unresponsive throughout her ultimate intercom name. She additionally accepted Nelson was deprived of “adequate” medical care throughout her keep and not treated humanely.

The jail officer was also crucial of the medical care provided to inmates and the condition in which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She stated night nurses usually refused to walk the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers throughout the night.

Prison officers will not be permitted to name triple zero and more senior staff would must be contacted to try this in any emergency, Brown mentioned.

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

Rishi Nathwani, representing Nelson’s mom, was vital of Brown’s motion and pressed the prison officer on an internal evaluation that praised her actions.

Nathwani mentioned in the evaluate, Dame Phyllis Frost general manager Tracey Jones mentioned she was “proud” of the way in which Nelson was treated in her final hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Jail CCTV reveals Tracey Brown, far proper, attending Nelson’s prison cell alongside nurse Atheana George about 1.30am the day of Nelson’s loss of life.

On the stand, Brown disagreed. Jones is because of give evidence subsequent week.

Photos and audio contained in this story have been launched to the media with permission from the household. For twenty-four/7 crisis assist run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).