AustraliaThe Guardian

Victoria police apologise over death of injured man taken to cells instead of hospital

Victoria Police has apologised after a 58-year-old man died in a Broadmeadows cell in 2023 following five hours without medical treatment for a serious head injury.

Inquest into 2023 death shown footage of John Makai struggling to stand after suffering serious head injury from being punched in head by son

The Long Sip
What happened

An inquest heard that John Makai, a father of 10, died from untreated head trauma after being held for five hours in a Broadmeadows police cell in 2023.

The detail

CCTV shown in court revealed officers twice claimed Makai had responded to checks when footage showed no physical response at all.

What it means

A lawyer for Victoria Police's chief commissioner apologised and acknowledged Makai's care was not at the standard any Victorian community member is entitled to expect.

Full story at The Guardian

What readers are saying

RenterEms
the bit where they told the ambulance he was just in a deep sleep from being drunk when he hadnt responded since he came in at midnight is chilling. five hours later theyre still claiming checks every 15 minutes but the footage proved otherwise. that delay turned a treatable head injury into something non survivable.

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