Veronica Nelson handled inhumanely before jail death, prison officer concedes

CCTV reveals Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different jail officers present Nelson with paracetamol although a cell trap door about 1.30am. It was the last time staff saw her alive.

Throughout Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make nine further calls for assist over the prison intercom, together with a remaining two conversations Lacy described as “haunting” and “chilling”. Nothing was heard from Nelson after 4am. Her body was discovered 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 fight to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve completed more to assist Nelson throughout her remaining hours.

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and will have gone to examine on the 37-year-old after the inmate became unresponsive throughout her closing intercom call. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “satisfactory” medical care during her stay and never treated humanely.

The jail officer was also vital of the medical care offered to inmates and the situation through which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She mentioned evening nurses typically refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers in the course of the evening.

Jail officers aren't permitted to call triple zero and more senior staff would have to be contacted to do this in any emergency, Brown stated.

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

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

Nathwani stated within the overview, Dame Phyllis Frost general supervisor Tracey Jones said she was “proud” of the best way Nelson was treated in her final hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Jail CCTV shows Tracey Brown, far right, attending Nelson’s prison 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 subsequent week.

Photos and audio contained in this story were released to the media with permission from the household. For 24/7 disaster support run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).