Veronica Nelson handled inhumanely before jail death, prison officer concedes

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

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make nine further calls for help over the prison intercom, together with a ultimate 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 useless for some time.

Taking to the witness stand for the primary time on Friday after a failed Supreme Court struggle to suppress her identity, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve done more to assist Nelson during her closing 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 grew to become unresponsive throughout her ultimate intercom call. She also accepted Nelson was deprived of “satisfactory” medical care throughout her keep and never treated humanely.

The jail officer was also important of the medical care supplied to inmates and the situation wherein some arrived at 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 patients in the course of the night.

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

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

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

Nathwani stated within the evaluation, Dame Phyllis Frost basic manager Tracey Jones mentioned she was “proud” of the way Nelson was treated in her closing hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Jail CCTV shows Tracey Brown, far right, attending Nelson’s jail cell alongside nurse Atheana George about 1.30am the day of Nelson’s demise.

On the stand, Brown disagreed. Jones is due to give evidence next week.

Pictures and audio contained in this story had been 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).