Indigenous boy, 16, dies from injuries self-inflicted at WA men’s prison

The teenager died in hospital shortly after 10pm, according to a statement, days after being found unresponsive at Perth’s main maximum security men’s prison.

Cleveland Dodd, 16, who died in custody on Thursday.

The family of an Aboriginal boy who died from injuries he ­inflicted on himself while held in Perth’s main maximum-security men’s prison say the practice of putting children in the adult jail must end.

Cleveland Dodd, 16, was found unresponsive in his cell at Casuarina Prison on October 12. He died in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital at 10pm on Thursday.

He was not a sentenced prisoner and was on remand awaiting trial. Two weeks ago, the Aboriginal Legal Service sent an urgent letter to the WA Justice Department on Cleveland’s behalf, expressing concerns about his mental health and asking that he be moved to the juvenile detention centre where most other youths are held.

In a statement distributed by lawyer Dana Levitt on Friday, Cleveland’s family said: “Our family is overwhelmed with grief as we come to terms with the unthinkable – the loss of our most beloved boy, who did not belong in that horrible place known as Unit 18. Our boy should have had been at home with his family who he loved, and who loved him dearly. Our boy deserved a ­future. We want answers.

“Our beloved boy had never, ever self-harmed prior to being unlawfully locked down, day after day, inside Unit 18, and (that) drove him to take his own life in desperation.”

Cleveland’s family authorised Ms Levitt to distribute his photograph to the media and asked that his name be published and remembered.

“To the state government, we say act now, today, to prevent another young person from needlessly and tragically dying in detention,” the family said.

“Future commitments, platitudes and unfulfilled promises only inflict more pain. Close Unit 18 without further delay – a maximum-security adult prison is no place for children.”

Cleveland’s father was in jail in regional WA when Cleveland self-harmed. The Justice ­Department flew his father to Perth and took him to the boy’s bedside. His handcuffs were removed on Thursday so he could hug his son before he died.

About 7 per cent of all juveniles in WA are Indigenous but in juvenile detention 80 per cent of the children are Indigenous.

Casuarina Prison is the main maximum-security prison for Western Australia.

The state’s juvenile detention system has been in chaos for more than a year. The former McGowan government created Unit 18 at Casuarina to deal with the most “challenging” cohort of youths. This was meant to create peace at the main juvenile detention centre, Banksia Hill. ­Instead, violence and rioting at Banksia Hill got worse.

The Cook government confirmed in state parliament this month that youths in Unit 18 have been allowed out of their cells for an average of fewer than two hours a day. Paul Papalia was told to prioritise the juvenile detention crisis when Premier Roger Cook gave him the Corrective Services portfolio in June.