Veronica Nelson treated inhumanely earlier than jail demise, prison officer concedes

CCTV shows Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different jail officers provide 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 9 additional requires 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 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 Court docket fight to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve accomplished extra to assist Nelson throughout her remaining 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 during her ultimate intercom call. She also accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “satisfactory” medical care during her keep and never treated humanely.

The jail officer was also vital of the medical care supplied to inmates and the condition during which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She said evening nurses often refused to walk the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers in the course of the night.

Prison officers will not be permitted to call triple zero and extra senior workers would need to be contacted to do that in any emergency, Brown said.

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

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

Nathwani mentioned in the review, Dame Phyllis Frost basic manager Tracey Jones said she was “proud” of the way in which Nelson was treated in her ultimate 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 death.

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

Photographs and audio contained in this story have been released 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).