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

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

Throughout Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 additional calls for help over the prison intercom, together with a final 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 first time on Friday after a failed Supreme Court docket fight to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve carried out extra to help Nelson throughout her closing hours.

Brown accepted she had a duty of care to Nelson and should have gone to check on the 37-year-old after the inmate grew to become unresponsive during her remaining intercom name. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “ample” medical care throughout her stay and not treated humanely.

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

Prison officers aren't permitted to call triple zero and extra senior staff would should be contacted to do that in any emergency, Brown mentioned.

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

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

Nathwani stated in the review, Dame Phyllis Frost general manager Tracey Jones said she was “proud” of the way in which Nelson was handled in her closing hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Prison CCTV exhibits Tracey Brown, far right, 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 due to give proof next week.

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