Veronica Nelson handled inhumanely before jail loss of life, jail officer concedes

CCTV exhibits Brown, nurse Atheana George and two other prison officers provide Nelson with paracetamol although a cell trap door about 1.30am. It was the last time employees noticed her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 further requires assist over the jail intercom, including a final two conversations Lacy described as “haunting” and “chilling”. Nothing was heard from Nelson after 4am. Her physique was discovered later that morning.

Attending paramedics believed she had been lifeless for some time.

Taking to the witness stand for the first time on Friday after a failed Supreme Court docket battle to suppress her identity, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve done more to help Nelson throughout her final hours.

Brown accepted she had a duty of care to Nelson and will have gone to test on the 37-year-old after the inmate grew to become unresponsive throughout her final intercom name. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “adequate” medical care throughout her keep and not treated humanely.

The prison officer was additionally crucial of the medical care provided to inmates and the condition by which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She stated evening nurses usually refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see patients in the course of the night.

Prison officers usually are not permitted to call triple zero and more senior staff would have to be contacted to do that in any emergency, Brown said.

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

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

Nathwani said in the assessment, Dame Phyllis Frost common supervisor Tracey Jones said she was “proud” of the best way Nelson was handled in her final hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Prison CCTV reveals Tracey Brown, far right, attending Nelson’s prison cell alongside nurse Atheana George about 1.30am the day of Nelson’s demise.

On the stand, Brown disagreed. Jones is due to give evidence subsequent week.

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