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

CCTV reveals Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different jail officers provide Nelson with paracetamol although a cell lure door about 1.30am. It was the final time staff saw her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 additional calls for assist over the jail intercom, together with a ultimate two conversations Lacy described as “haunting” and “chilling”. Nothing was heard from Nelson after 4am. Her body was found 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 docket combat to suppress her identity, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve done extra to help Nelson throughout her ultimate hours.

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and will have gone to examine on the 37-year-old after the inmate became unresponsive during her remaining intercom name. She also accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “sufficient” medical care throughout her stay and never treated humanely.

The jail officer was additionally vital of the medical care supplied to inmates and the situation by which some arrived on the Yarra unit. She mentioned night nurses usually refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see patients during the night.

Jail officers will not be permitted to call triple zero and more senior staff would have to be contacted to do this in any emergency, Brown stated.

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

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

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

Prison CCTV reveals 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 because of give evidence subsequent week.

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