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

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

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

Attending paramedics believed she had been lifeless for a while.

Taking to the witness stand for the first time on Friday after a failed Supreme Court battle to suppress her id, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve completed more to help Nelson during her remaining hours.

Brown accepted she had a duty of care to Nelson and will have gone to examine on the 37-year-old after the inmate became unresponsive throughout her ultimate intercom call. She also accepted Nelson was deprived of “satisfactory” medical care during her stay and not treated humanely.

The jail officer was also crucial of the medical care provided to inmates and the situation wherein some arrived on the Yarra unit. She mentioned night nurses typically refused to walk the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see patients throughout the night.

Jail officers are not permitted to name triple zero and more senior employees would should be contacted to do this in any emergency, Brown mentioned.

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

Rishi Nathwani, representing Nelson’s mother, was crucial of Brown’s action and pressed the prison officer on an inside evaluate that praised her actions.

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

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

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

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