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

CCTV exhibits Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different jail officers present Nelson with paracetamol although a cell lure door about 1.30am. It was the last time workers noticed her alive.

Throughout Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 further requires help over the jail intercom, together with a remaining two conversations Lacy described as “haunting” and “chilling”. Nothing was heard from Nelson after 4am. Her body was found later that morning.

Attending paramedics believed she had been lifeless for some time.

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

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and will have gone to test on the 37-year-old after the inmate turned unresponsive during her last intercom name. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “enough” medical care throughout her keep and never handled humanely.

The jail officer was additionally vital of the medical care supplied to inmates and the condition by which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She stated night nurses often refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see patients during the night.

Prison officers are not permitted to name triple zero and more senior employees would have to be contacted to do that in any emergency, Brown mentioned.

An post-mortem later discovered Nelson had the undiagnosed medical situation Wilkie’s syndrome, a uncommon however potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal condition.

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

Nathwani mentioned in the evaluate, Dame Phyllis Frost basic supervisor Tracey Jones said she was “proud” of the way in which Nelson was handled in her last hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Prison CCTV exhibits Tracey Brown, far proper, attending Nelson’s prison cell alongside nurse Atheana George about 1.30am the day of Nelson’s death.

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

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