Veronica Nelson handled inhumanely earlier than jail loss of life, prison officer concedes

CCTV shows Brown, nurse Atheana George and two other prison officers present Nelson with paracetamol though a cell entice door about 1.30am. It was the final time staff noticed her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 further calls for assist over the jail intercom, together with a last two conversations Lacy described as “haunting” and “chilling”. Nothing was heard from Nelson after 4am. Her body 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 fight to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve performed extra to help Nelson throughout her ultimate hours.

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

The jail officer was also essential of the medical care offered to inmates and the situation in which some arrived on the Yarra unit. She stated night time nurses often refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers in the course of the night.

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

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

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

Nathwani mentioned within the evaluation, Dame Phyllis Frost basic supervisor Tracey Jones stated she was “proud” of the way Nelson was treated in her final 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 due to give evidence next week.

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