Doctor referred to AHPRA for inadequate care of Aboriginal woman who died in custody
Dr Sean Runacres failed to physically assess Veronica Nelson, who later died in a Melbourne prison cell: Coroner's findings
A Victorian coroner has criticised the care provided by a doctor to an Aboriginal woman who died in custody, finding her death could have been prevented if she had been sent to hospital.
Coroner Simon McGregor said he will refer Dr Sean Runacres to AHPRA.
Veronica Nelson died in her cell in a Melbourne prison on 2 January 2020 after two days of severe opioid withdrawal symptoms, including projectile vomiting.
The coroner said she had been remanded in custody having been denied bail for “relatively minor, non-violent offences”.
