Veronica Nelson treated inhumanely before jail dying, prison officer concedes

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

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 further requires assist over the prison intercom, including a closing 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 dead for a while.

Taking to the witness stand for the first time on Friday after a failed Supreme Court docket combat to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve completed more to help Nelson during her final 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 grew to become unresponsive during her ultimate intercom call. She also accepted Nelson was deprived of “sufficient” medical care throughout her stay and not treated humanely.

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

Prison officers are usually not permitted to name triple zero and more senior workers would should be contacted to try this in any emergency, Brown said.

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

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

Nathwani stated within the overview, Dame Phyllis Frost general manager Tracey Jones said she was “proud” of the best way Nelson was handled in her remaining 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 demise.

On the stand, Brown disagreed. Jones is because of give proof next week.

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