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

CCTV shows Brown, nurse Atheana George and two other jail officers present Nelson with paracetamol although a cell entice door about 1.30am. It was the final time workers noticed her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make nine further calls for help over the prison intercom, together with a remaining 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 useless for some time.

Taking to the witness stand for the primary time on Friday after a failed Supreme Courtroom fight to suppress her identity, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve achieved more to help Nelson during her last hours.

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and may have gone to verify on the 37-year-old after the inmate grew to become unresponsive during her remaining intercom name. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “satisfactory” medical care throughout her stay and not treated humanely.

The jail officer was also important of the medical care provided to inmates and the situation wherein some arrived at the Yarra unit. She stated evening nurses usually refused to walk the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers in the course of the evening.

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

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

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

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

Prison CCTV shows 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 due to give proof next week.

Photographs and audio contained on this story were released to the media with permission from the family. For 24/7 crisis assist run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander folks, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).