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

CCTV exhibits Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different jail officers present Nelson with paracetamol though a cell lure 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 9 additional requires assist 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 found later that morning.

Attending paramedics believed she had been lifeless for a while.

Taking to the witness stand for the primary time on Friday after a failed Supreme Courtroom battle to suppress her id, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve carried out more to assist Nelson during her final hours.

Brown accepted she had a duty of care to Nelson and should have gone to check on the 37-year-old after the inmate grew to become unresponsive during her closing intercom call. She additionally accepted Nelson was deprived of “enough” medical care during her keep and never treated humanely.

The prison officer was also essential of the medical care provided to inmates and the situation during which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She said evening nurses typically refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers in the course of the evening.

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

An post-mortem later found Nelson had the undiagnosed medical condition Wilkie’s syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal condition.

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

Nathwani mentioned within the assessment, Dame Phyllis Frost general manager Tracey Jones mentioned she was “proud” of the way Nelson was handled in her ultimate hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Prison CCTV exhibits 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 because of give evidence subsequent week.

Pictures and audio contained in this story had been launched to the media with permission from the family. For 24/7 disaster help run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).