Veronica Nelson treated inhumanely earlier than jail loss of life, prison officer concedes

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

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 additional requires assist over the jail intercom, together with a closing 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 dead for some time.

Taking to the witness stand for the first time on Friday after a failed Supreme Courtroom fight to suppress her identity, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve finished more to help Nelson throughout her remaining hours.

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

The jail officer was additionally crucial of the medical care supplied to inmates and the situation in which some arrived on the Yarra unit. She stated 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 time.

Jail officers usually are not permitted to name triple zero and more senior staff would should be contacted to try this in any emergency, Brown stated.

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

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

Nathwani mentioned in the assessment, Dame Phyllis Frost basic supervisor Tracey Jones said she was “proud” of the way in which 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 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 had been released to the media with permission from the family. For twenty-four/7 crisis assist run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander folks, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).