Veronica Nelson handled inhumanely before jail demise, jail officer concedes

CCTV exhibits Brown, nurse Atheana George and two different prison officers provide Nelson with paracetamol though a cell entice door about 1.30am. It was the final time staff noticed her alive.

Throughout Brown’s nightshift, the coroner heard Nelson went on to make 9 additional requires assist over the jail intercom, together with a closing 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 dead for a while.

Taking to the witness stand for the first time on Friday after a failed Supreme Courtroom fight to suppress her identification, Brown revealed she now believed she should’ve executed extra to assist Nelson throughout her closing hours.

Brown accepted she had a duty of care to Nelson and should have gone to examine on the 37-year-old after the inmate grew to become unresponsive throughout her last intercom call. She also accepted Nelson was deprived of “enough” medical care throughout her keep and not handled humanely.

The jail officer was also critical of the medical care provided to inmates and the condition during which some arrived on the Yarra unit. She mentioned night nurses usually refused to stroll the 200 metres from the medical unit to the Yarra unit to see sufferers throughout the night time.

Prison officers are not permitted to call triple zero and more senior workers would have to be contacted to do this in any emergency, Brown said.

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

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

Nathwani said within the review, Dame Phyllis Frost normal supervisor Tracey Jones said she was “proud” of the way in which Nelson was treated in her ultimate hours and that Brown “sensitively managed the intercom calls”.

Jail CCTV reveals Tracey Brown, far proper, attending Nelson’s prison cell alongside nurse Atheana George about 1.30am the day of Nelson’s loss of life.

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

Pictures and audio contained in this story have been launched to the media with permission from the household. For 24/7 disaster help run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander folks, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).