2 weeks Ago By Aaron Bunch
An Indigenous teenager has died in a Western Australian youth detention centre. / (min cost $ 0 ) or signup to continue reading Premier Roger Cook said custodial staff found the 17-year-old boy in his cell at the Banksia Hill Youth Detention Centre about 10pm on Thursday. "This is a horrible, horrible event," he told reporters on Friday.
"Clearly, a failure has taken place because someone has lost their life and we will now undertake the very important task of understanding the circumstances that preceded his death." On behalf of the WA government, Mr Cook offered his deepest and most sincere condolences to the family. "I'd like to acknowledge the friends and family impacted by this tragic death, as well as the staff and first responders who were confronted with such a traumatic event," he said.
Corrective Services Commissioner Brad Royce said the teenager was taken into custody at the facility on Tuesday "He came in intoxicated (with drugs and alcohol) ...
he went into our intensive supervision unit," he said. "In that unit, we have full monitoring and we keep an eye on young people." Commissioner Royce said the boy was provided with health care and clinical support.
"It was around his health and not around any mental health or self-harm issues," he said. He said the teen spent most of Thursday afternoon outside before returning to his cell in the evening, and that he was checked by staff ten times through the night. "On the 11th occasion, just prior to 10pm, he was found unresponsive," Commissioner Royce said.
"I can tell you that the staff then breached the cell." A nurse and youth custodial officers performed CPR before paramedics arrived. "Sadly, we couldn't revive the young man and for everyone at the scene, they did their very, very best, but on this occasion, we weren't able to revive him," Commissioner Royce said.
"I've reviewed the footage and I'm satisfied that their actions around what they're doing and the way they called for support were appropriate." The boy's death is the second in WA youth detention in recorded history. The fatality follows the death of 16-year-old Cleveland Dodd in October last year, which is the subject of an ongoing coronial inquest.
Cleveland died after self-harming in his cell at Unit 18, a Banksia Hill annexe site inside the adult correctional facility Casuarina Prison. An internal investigation is underway into the latest death and police are preparing a report for the coroner. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.
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