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

CCTV reveals Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different prison officers provide Nelson with paracetamol though a cell trap door about 1.30am. It was the last time workers saw her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 additional calls for help over the jail intercom, including a ultimate two conversations Lacy described as “haunting” and “chilling”. Nothing was heard from Nelson after 4am. Her physique was found later that morning.

Attending paramedics believed she had been dead for a while.

Taking to the witness stand for the primary time on Friday after a failed Supreme Court struggle to suppress her id, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve carried out more to assist Nelson throughout her last hours.

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and will have gone to check on the 37-year-old after the inmate became unresponsive throughout her ultimate intercom name. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “sufficient” medical care throughout her keep and never treated humanely.

The jail officer was also vital of the medical care provided to inmates and the condition through which some arrived on the Yarra unit. She mentioned night nurses typically refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers throughout the night time.

Prison officers are usually not permitted to call triple zero and extra senior workers would have to be contacted to do this in any emergency, Brown stated.

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

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

Nathwani mentioned in the overview, Dame Phyllis Frost common supervisor Tracey Jones stated she was “proud” of the way Nelson was handled in her ultimate hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

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

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

Photos and audio contained in this story have been launched to the media with permission from the family. For 24/7 disaster support run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).