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

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

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make nine further requires help over the jail intercom, including a last 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 lifeless for some time.

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

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and should have gone to verify on the 37-year-old after the inmate turned unresponsive throughout her final intercom call. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “ample” medical care during her stay and never treated humanely.

The prison officer was also critical of the medical care offered to inmates and the situation wherein some arrived on the Yarra unit. She said night nurses usually refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see patients through the evening.

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

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

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

Nathwani said within the evaluation, Dame Phyllis Frost common supervisor Tracey Jones stated she was “proud” of the way in which Nelson was treated in her last 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 dying.

On the stand, Brown disagreed. Jones is because of give proof next week.

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