Veronica Nelson treated inhumanely before jail demise, jail officer concedes

CCTV shows Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different jail officers provide Nelson with paracetamol although a cell entice door about 1.30am. It was the last time staff noticed her alive.

During Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 additional requires help over the jail intercom, including 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 useless for some time.

Taking to the witness stand for the first time on Friday after a failed Supreme Court fight to suppress her identity, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve accomplished more to assist Nelson throughout her last hours.

Brown accepted she had a duty of care to Nelson and may have gone to test on the 37-year-old after the inmate turned unresponsive during her remaining intercom name. She also accepted Nelson was deprived of “enough” medical care throughout her keep and not treated humanely.

The prison officer was also essential of the medical care provided to inmates and the condition wherein some arrived at the Yarra unit. She stated evening nurses usually refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers through the night.

Prison officers should not permitted to name triple zero and extra senior staff would need to be contacted to try this in any emergency, Brown stated.

An post-mortem later found Nelson had the undiagnosed medical condition Wilkie’s syndrome, a uncommon however potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal condition.

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

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

Prison CCTV shows Tracey Brown, far proper, attending Nelson’s jail cell alongside nurse Atheana George about 1.30am the day of Nelson’s dying.

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

Pictures 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).