Cut watch house limits, on-call nurse for every prisoner: Coroner’s call for law fix

Deputy state coroner Stephanie Gallagher has made two stunning recommendations in her findings into the custodial deaths of two Indigenous women in Queensland in 2018 and 2020.

A Queensland coroner has called for detainees to be held no longer than 72 hours in police watch houses

A Queensland coroner has called for detainees to be held no longer than 72 hours in police watch houses following the deaths of two Indigenous women in custody.

The changes to the state’s Corrective Services Act were recommended by deputy state coroner Stephanie Gallagher, who also called for funding to ensure a nurse or paramedic is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for any prisoner in any watch house.

Ms Gallagher made proposals in her 46-page findings into the deaths in custody of Indigenous women this week.

Vlasta Wylucki, 50, died from natural causes – specifically, ischaemic heart disease – on March 1, 2018, but there were concerns about the care and supervision she received, particularly whether she should have been given her heart medication.

Shiralee Deanne Tilberoo died on September 10, 2020, from natural causes – in her case, a brain aneurysm. But there were concerns about the 49-year-old’s care because her body was not found by officers until 8 hours after she had died.

The findings followed a joint coronial inquest in Brisbane in March 2023.