Veronica Nelson treated inhumanely before jail dying, prison officer concedes

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

Throughout Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 additional calls for help over the prison intercom, including a ultimate two conversations Lacy described as “haunting” and “chilling”. Nothing was heard from Nelson after 4am. Her physique was discovered 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 docket fight to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve accomplished more to assist Nelson throughout her ultimate hours.

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

The jail officer was also crucial of the medical care supplied to inmates and the condition wherein some arrived at the Yarra unit. She said evening nurses typically refused to walk the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see patients through the night.

Prison officers should not permitted to name triple zero and more senior employees would must be contacted to do this in any emergency, Brown mentioned.

An post-mortem later found Nelson had the undiagnosed medical condition Wilkie’s syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal condition.

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

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

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

On the stand, Brown disagreed. Jones is due to give proof subsequent week.

Photos and audio contained on this story have been launched to the media with permission from the household. For 24/7 crisis help run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).