The mother of an Indigenous teen who died after self-harming in the youth wing of an adult prison says she is determined to get justice for her son.

April 2, 2024

The heartbroken family of WA’s first juvenile to die in youth detention hope an inquest will lead to an overhaul of the justice system.

Cleveland Dodd, 16, was found unresponsive after harming himself inside his cell in a troubled youth wing of a high-security adult prison in the early hours of October 12, 2023.

The Indigenous teen was taken to hospital in a critical condition where he later died, causing outrage and grief in the community.

His mother, Nadene Dodd, told media at a pre-inquest media conference on Tuesday that her family was “still reeling from the loss of my son”.

“The months since Cleveland’s passing have been fraught with grief,” she said in a statement read by lawyer Dana Levitt.

“With each new detail that comes to light about the night he died or about Unit 18 generally, I become more determined to get justice for Cleveland, and for all the other boys sent there.

“Children do not belong in adult prisons.”

Ms Dodd said the Department of Justice should have kept her son safe and “not let him die on their watch”.

“My boy’s cries for help fell on deaf ears.”

The first part of an expedited coronial inquest in Perth into Cleveland’s death starts on Wednesday and runs until April 12.

Coroner Phil Urquhart will close the court after the opening statement so counsel and Cleveland’s family can view Casuarina Prison CCTV footage from the night the teen self-harmed.

Witnesses who worked at Unit 18, including three youth custodial officers, a nurse and a manager, are understood to be scheduled to start giving evidence on Friday, with a full day set aside for each.

“I’m hopeful that Cleveland’s death is the catalyst for an overhaul of youth justice in Western Australia,” Ms Dodd said.

“The system, like my heart, is broken.”

Cleveland’s grandmother Glenda Mippy said the family wanted answers.

“That boy should be in this world but because of the neglect he’s not and this is what we want them to pay for what they’ve done wrong,” she said.

“They need to stop calling it suicide because we know it wasn’t suicide … it wasn’t self-harm … and we all know that.

“No kid should have been in Unit 18.”

Premier Roger Cook said he had been in contact with the Dodd family’s advocates and discussed their concerns.

“This is a really horrible time for them,” he said.

“They are revisiting trauma and traumatic emotions, the grieving process for them continues, and our hearts go out to them.

“What they’re looking for is answers and I’m sure that inquiry will endeavour to do so.”

Youth detention expert and family advocate Gerry Georgatos said Cleveland’s family were shocked when the WA government provided different versions of the events that led to his death in hospital on October 20.

“They want to know who these people were and why they procured that statement, which turned out to be a false narrative and where it originated from,” he said.

Ms Levitt, who is representing Cleveland’s family at the inquest with Steven Penglis SC, wants the inquest to bring “real and lasting” change to the youth justice system.

She said the justice department should “reassess what it’s doing, how it’s doing it, and whether it’s of any benefit to anyone”.

“We’re not setting up young people to do anything other than self-harm in prison,” she said.

“That’s the way the system is working at the moment.

“Children rarely come out better than they went in and for the most part they come out worse.”