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 trap door about 1.30am. It was the last time workers noticed her alive.

Throughout Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make nine additional requires help 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 dead for some time.

Taking to the witness stand for the first time on Friday after a failed Supreme Court struggle to suppress her id, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve completed extra to help Nelson during her closing 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 turned unresponsive during her closing intercom name. She also accepted Nelson was deprived of “ample” medical care during her stay and not treated humanely.

The prison officer was additionally critical of the medical care provided to inmates and the condition in which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She mentioned night nurses typically refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see patients throughout the night.

Prison officers are not permitted to name triple zero and extra senior staff would must be contacted to try this in any emergency, Brown mentioned.

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

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

Nathwani mentioned within the evaluation, Dame Phyllis Frost common supervisor Tracey Jones stated she was “proud” of the best way Nelson was treated in her remaining hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Jail CCTV shows Tracey Brown, far proper, attending Nelson’s prison cell alongside nurse Atheana George about 1.30am the day of Nelson’s dying.

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

Images and audio contained on this story have been released to the media with permission from the household. For 24/7 disaster help run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).