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

CCTV exhibits Brown, nurse Atheana George and two other prison officers provide Nelson with paracetamol though a cell lure door about 1.30am. It was the last time employees saw her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 additional requires assist over the jail intercom, including a remaining 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 some time.

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

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and should have gone to test on the 37-year-old after the inmate turned unresponsive throughout her closing intercom call. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “sufficient” medical care throughout her keep and not treated humanely.

The prison officer was additionally vital of the medical care offered to inmates and the situation by which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She said night time nurses usually refused to walk the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers through the night.

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

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

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

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

Prison CCTV reveals Tracey Brown, far right, 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 next week.

Pictures and audio contained on this story were launched to the media with permission from the household. For 24/7 disaster support run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).