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

CCTV exhibits Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different prison officers present Nelson with paracetamol although a cell entice 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 further requires help over the prison intercom, together with a closing 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 Court battle to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve executed more to help Nelson during her final hours.

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and may have gone to test on the 37-year-old after the inmate became unresponsive throughout her final intercom name. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “sufficient” medical care throughout her stay and never handled humanely.

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

Prison officers should not permitted to call triple zero and more senior workers would need to be contacted to try this in any emergency, Brown said.

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

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

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

Prison CCTV exhibits Tracey Brown, far proper, attending Nelson’s jail 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 evidence next week.

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