Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Aboriginal inmate dies in country prison
An Indigenous prisoner has died in a prison after playing basketball, the Western Australian Department of Justice says .
December 28, 2022
An Indigenous prisoner has died in a Western Australian country prison after a physical exercise session.
The 45-year-old man collapsed while playing basketball on Tuesday about 4.30pm, the Department of Justice says.
“Prison officers and medical staff provided first aid to the man before an ambulance arrived,” a spokesman said.
But they were unable to revive the man and paramedics declared him dead at the scene.
WA Police will prepare a report for the coroner before an inquest into the death, which is mandatory with all deaths in custody.
It comes a day after the department released information about the death of another Indigenous inmate, who had a medical episode in a prison near Perth.
The 41-year-old woman had been on life support since the episode at Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison on December 21.
She died at Fiona Stanley Hospital on Saturday.
A spokesman said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.