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

CCTV exhibits Brown, nurse Atheana George and two other prison officers present Nelson with paracetamol though a cell entice door about 1.30am. It was the last time workers noticed her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 additional calls for assist over the prison intercom, including a remaining 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 useless for some time.

Taking to the witness stand for the first time on Friday after a failed Supreme Court struggle to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve performed more to help Nelson throughout her last hours.

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and should have gone to test on the 37-year-old after the inmate grew to become unresponsive throughout her last intercom call. She additionally accepted Nelson was deprived of “sufficient” medical care throughout her keep and never treated humanely.

The prison officer was also crucial of the medical care offered to inmates and the condition by which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She stated night time nurses typically refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see patients through the evening.

Jail officers will not be permitted to name triple zero and more senior workers would should be contacted to do this in any emergency, Brown mentioned.

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

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

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

Prison CCTV exhibits Tracey Brown, far proper, attending Nelson’s jail cell alongside nurse Atheana George about 1.30am the day of Nelson’s demise.

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

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