Findings due on Indigenous woman's death in custody

Warning: This story contains the name and image of a deceased Indigenous person.

The Yorta Yorta woman, 37, had been transferred to a regular cell after two days on a medical ward.

But her repeated pleas were knocked back by prison guards and healthcare staff.

Nelson, representing herself, had earlier tried to get bail after being arrested for minor offences, but a magistrate rejected her application.

Coroner Simon McGregor is on Monday expected to declare Nelson’s death in January 2020 was preventable, call for bail law reform and to find corrections had failed to provide her with adequate healthcare.

His highly-anticipated finding follows a five-week coronial inquest, which ended in May last year.

Nelson was arrested on December 30, 2019, on warrants for breaching bail and suspicion of shoplifting.

She was interviewed by police without a lawyer and represented herself in a bail application, which was denied.

Read Related Also: Our essential Q&A reveals how menopause can have a devastating effect 

Following dozens of calls for help, Nelson was found dead in her cell at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre on January 2.

She died from complications of Wilkie’s syndrome, in a setting of withdrawal from heroin.

Victoria’s bail laws are widely considered to be among the toughest in the country.

The state government made changes to the Bail Act in 2018 under expert advice in response to the 2017 Bourke Street massacre.

After pressure from Nelson’s family and legal advocates, Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes last week confirmed changes to the laws were being discussed.

McGregor will deliver the finding during a three-hour hearing at the Coroners Court in Melbourne from 10.30am (AEDT).

For 24/7 crisis support run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).