The coronial inquest into the loss of life in custody of Anaiwan-Gamilaraay person Nathan Reynolds commenced at the NSW Coroner’s Court docket in Lidcombe on Monday.
On the first working day of the inquest the courtroom heard an psychological account by a former cellmate, who broke down in tears as he explained making an attempt to assistance Mr Reynolds, who went rigid while having difficulties to breathe on the night time of August 31, 2018.
Qualified in initial support, the former cellmate put Mr Reynolds in the restoration position and did his finest to open up the man’s mouth and airways.
“He’s finished like a large gurgle and that’s when I commenced rubbing my arm on his again and claimed, ‘mate maintain breathing’,” the former cellmate advised the NSW Coroners Court, wiping his eyes.
“He was alive then. He could hear me.”
Minutes afterwards, about 11.49pm, the only registered nurse at the jail that night time arrived on scene.
The former cellmate claimed he was relieved and advised her Mr Reynolds was respiration but experienced some yellow fluid coming out of his airways.
But he was distressed immediately after observing her roll Mr Reynolds on to his again.
“I have observed her … slap Nathan in the facial area and aggressively shake him, and telling him to wake up,” the former cellmate reported.
“The nurse then mentioned to (to a jail officer) that Nathan’s experienced a drug overdose.”
After the prison officer asked what medications Mr Reynolds experienced taken, the previous cellmate said: “How can you say that after you’ve got sat there … and watched him have an bronchial asthma assault?”
The nurse who attended the scene is because of to testify about her variation of activities later in the inquest.
CPR started soon just after her arrival, continuing when paramedics confirmed up about 12.14am.
30 minutes afterwards, and 77 minutes soon after he initially radioed jail guards about his respiration problems, Mr Reynolds was declared useless.
He experienced before been witnessed seated on a sofa up coming to the jail officer taking limited breaths and puffs of Ventolin.
“He wasn’t (conversing). He was in a rhythm with his respiration,” the former cellmate mentioned.
When he reported Mr Reynolds wanted to be taken to the clinical centre and put on oxygen, the former cellmate stated jail officers replied they couldn’t administer medical procedure.
Long-term Asthmatic
Mr Reynolds, a 36-yr-previous Anaiwan-Gamilaraay person and father of 3, was serving a four-thirty day period fixed-term sentence when he endured an bronchial asthma attack on August 31, 2018 at a prison facility previously recognized as outer metropolitan multi-goal correctional centre in Rooty Hill.
Mr Reynolds was regarded to be a continual asthmatic and died right after remaining administered naloxone, a drug given to patients to counteract the effects of an overdose.
Paramedics arrived at the scene but were unable to resuscitate him and Mr Reynolds was pronounced useless at 12:20 am on September 1, 2018.
He was owing to be released on September 7.
Family members want responses
Earlier, Nathan Reynolds’ sisters, Taleah and Makayla, explained to media outdoors the Coroner’s Court docket they had been hopeful the inquest would deliver solutions to thoughts about their brother’s dying and prompt extensive-phrase improve to guarantee no one else knowledgeable the grief and loss they have.
“We’re in this article nowadays due to the fact we want to know the fact and we want justice for our brother – we want to make absolutely sure that no other family members need to have to go by means of this agony,” explained Taleah Reynolds.
The loved ones reported that the principal inquiries they want answered problem the lack of an bronchial asthma administration program in place, why medical guidance took so extended to arrive, and why Mr Reynolds was not presented with primary professional medical care by an sufficiently geared up nurse.
‘The world is viewing like never before’
Karley Warner, CEO of Aboriginal Lawful Service NSW-ACT, informed media outdoors court that in the wake of the “swell of support” close to the Black Lives Subject motion, someone must be held accountable for the demise in custody of Mr Reynolds.
Ms Warner stated that while the households of individuals who have died in custody have been still left guiding to proceed to endure “grief and agony”, she recommended them for their management and determination to driving improve.
Ms Warner also highlighted the urgent have to have to deal with the significant rates of Indigenous fatalities in custody through the implementation of all the suggestions of the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
“The entire world is looking at like under no circumstances right before,” she claimed.
– with AAP
