Kowanyama death in custody: 51-year-old Indigenous man found unresponsive in cell shortly after arrest

Police have promised an ‘open and transparent’ investigation after an Indigenous man died at a far north Queensland watchhouse.

Queensland Police are investigating after an Indigenous man died in custody at the Kowanyama Watchhouse on Wednesday afternoon.

A police statement said the Ethical Standards Command was investigating the death of the 51-year-old man who was found unresponsive in his cell a short time after he was arrested.

First aid was immediately provided, and the man was transported to Kowanyama clinic, where he was declared deceased.

Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Robbie Sands.

The State Coroner has been advised and the Crime and Corruption Commission will provide independent oversight of the Ethical Standards Command investigation.

Family liaison officers have been designated to provide information and support to the man’s family, the statement continued.

Queensland Police Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Wheeler said their would be an “open and transparent” investigation, with officers flying in from Brisbane.

“The investigation will look at the timing, number of staff rostered, all of those things you would expect, monitoring, all of those things will be unpicked throughout the investigation very, very closely,” Mr Wheeler said.

He commended Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Robbie Sands’s call for calm in the community and said “sufficient” police were there to assist the community through the grieving process.

Mr Wheeler said family liaison officers had been appointed to keep family and friends updated on the police investigation.

“In any of these cases, they are always extremely tragic and extremely sad, but ultimately the cause of death will be determined by the coroner.”

He confirmed no officers had been stood aside while the investigation took place.

“This is incredibly traumatic for the police as well. No one wants to go to work wanting or even thinking something like this will happen.

“I can guarantee it will be an open and transparent investigation.”

Mr Sands said the community was calm - “the family group who are affected by the death in custody are calm and we need to maintain that”.

“Officers will come out to make sure there‘s transparency and procedural fairness happening [with] the investigation.

“That‘s music to the ears of our community and the immediate family in these tragic circumstances.

“The quicker we have the investigation, the better for our community.”

The local man was taken into custody in relation to allegations of domestic and family violence-related offences.

In Queensland there have been over 500 Indigenous deaths in custody in the 30 years since the Royal Commission into the subject.