Veronica Nelson treated inhumanely before jail death, prison officer concedes

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

Throughout Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 further calls for assist over the prison intercom, together with a final 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 useless for some time.

Taking to the witness stand for the first time on Friday after a failed Supreme Courtroom fight to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve accomplished more to assist Nelson during her final hours.

Brown accepted she had a duty of care to Nelson and may have gone to test on the 37-year-old after the inmate became unresponsive throughout her remaining intercom name. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “enough” medical care during her stay and never handled humanely.

The prison officer was additionally essential of the medical care offered to inmates and the situation through which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She stated night time nurses typically refused to walk the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see patients throughout the evening.

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

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

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

Nathwani stated within the evaluate, Dame Phyllis Frost normal supervisor Tracey Jones mentioned she was “proud” of the way in which Nelson was handled in her remaining hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Prison CCTV exhibits Tracey Brown, far proper, attending Nelson’s jail 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 subsequent week.

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