Veronica Nelson treated inhumanely before jail demise, prison officer concedes

CCTV shows Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different jail officers present Nelson with paracetamol although a cell lure door about 1.30am. It was the last time employees saw her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 additional calls for help over the prison intercom, together with a last two conversations Lacy described as “haunting” and “chilling”. Nothing was heard from Nelson after 4am. Her body was found 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 battle to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she ought to’ve executed extra to help Nelson throughout her ultimate hours.

Brown accepted she had a duty of care to Nelson and may have gone to verify on the 37-year-old after the inmate became unresponsive during her last intercom name. She additionally accepted Nelson was disadvantaged of “sufficient” medical care throughout her keep and never treated humanely.

The jail officer was additionally essential of the medical care offered to inmates and the condition by which some arrived at the Yarra unit. She stated evening nurses typically refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers through the night.

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

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

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

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

Jail CCTV reveals 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 next week.

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