Veronica Nelson handled inhumanely before jail loss of life, prison officer concedes

CCTV reveals Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different prison officers present Nelson with paracetamol though a cell lure 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 9 further calls for help over the prison intercom, including 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 dead for a while.

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

Brown accepted she had an obligation of care to Nelson and should have gone to check on the 37-year-old after the inmate turned unresponsive throughout her ultimate intercom call. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “adequate” medical care during her keep and never treated humanely.

The jail officer was also essential of the medical care offered to inmates and the condition by which some arrived on the Yarra unit. She said evening nurses often refused to walk the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers in the course of the night.

Jail officers will not be permitted to name triple zero and extra senior employees would should be contacted to do that in any emergency, Brown mentioned.

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

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

Nathwani stated within the overview, Dame Phyllis Frost common manager Tracey Jones stated she was “proud” of the best way Nelson was handled in her last hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Jail CCTV shows Tracey Brown, far right, attending Nelson’s jail cell alongside nurse Atheana George about 1.30am the day of Nelson’s demise.

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

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