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

CCTV reveals Brown, nurse Atheana George and two other jail officers provide Nelson with paracetamol although a cell trap door about 1.30am. It was the final time employees noticed her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make nine further requires 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 discovered later that morning.

Attending paramedics believed she had been dead for a while.

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 ultimate hours.

Brown accepted she had a duty of care to Nelson and should have gone to examine on the 37-year-old after the inmate became unresponsive during her final intercom name. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “satisfactory” medical care during her stay and not treated humanely.

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

Jail officers aren't permitted to name triple zero and extra senior staff would should be contacted to do this in any emergency, Brown mentioned.

An post-mortem later found 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 jail officer on an internal assessment that praised her actions.

Nathwani stated in the overview, Dame Phyllis Frost basic 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 shows Tracey Brown, far right, 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 because of give proof subsequent week.

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