Veronica Nelson handled inhumanely earlier than jail demise, prison officer concedes

CCTV shows Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different prison officers provide Nelson with paracetamol although a cell entice door about 1.30am. It was the final time workers saw her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 additional calls for help over the jail intercom, together with a last 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 fight to suppress her identity, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve performed extra to help Nelson throughout her ultimate hours.

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and should have gone to examine on the 37-year-old after the inmate turned unresponsive during her remaining intercom name. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “sufficient” medical care throughout her keep and not treated humanely.

The prison officer was additionally essential of the medical care offered to inmates and the condition in which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She said night time nurses often refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see patients throughout the evening.

Jail officers should not permitted to call triple zero and extra senior employees would need to be contacted to do this in any emergency, Brown mentioned.

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

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

Nathwani said in the assessment, Dame Phyllis Frost normal supervisor 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 prison cell alongside nurse Atheana George about 1.30am the day of Nelson’s loss of life.

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

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