Latest news with #selfharm
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
WA coroner's early response in Cleveland Dodd inquest a vote of no confidence in Justice Department
In handing down his early assessment of WA's first recorded death in youth detention, Coroner Philip Urquhart had the opportunity to provide a vote of confidence in how the Department of Justice responded to the tragedy. WARNING: This story discusses incidents of self-harm and contains the name and image of an Indigenous person who has died. Instead, he did the opposite, at least in part. The department has repeatedly argued the inquest's scope should be limited to only what is directly relevant to Cleveland Dodd's death, which came after he self-harmed inside his cell in a makeshift youth detention facility in 2023. In its closing submissions, it said "the general operation of youth justice in this state" should be looked into "at another time and in another place". That was despite Coroner Urquhart describing evidence heard by the inquest as revealing "youth justice was in a crisis at the time of Cleveland's death and had been for some considerable time". Would it be reasonable to expect the department to bring those broader issues to the attention of those other authorities who it said would be better placed to look into them? "I do not consider the department would do so," was Coroner Urquhart's assessment. The reason was simple. At the same time as the department was telling him more fundamental issues should be looked into elsewhere, it was arguing there was no reason to even go looking. "The department does not consider there is any material to suggest there is any scope for an adverse comment to be made about itself or its employees on most, if not all, of those issues," was how Coroner Urquhart summed it up. But he has a different view. Those issues were serious and included problems at Banksia Hill Detention Centre which led to the rushed opening of Unit 18, allegations of "untruthful or misleading messaging" about the facility and whether it had been opened "before it was safe to do so". "There is evidence that has revealed aspects of the manner in which the department did its work which is worthy, in my view, of closer examination in a special inquiry," was the polite way he phrased it, pointing to some of the evidence he had heard. Among it, testimony from then-corrective services commissioner Mike Reynolds, who had been on leave around the opening of Unit 18, that it was a "bad decision" which was "destined to fail". He also pointed to evidence from Christine Ginbey, who had been in charge of youth detention at the time, saying the three weeks or so her team was given to get Unit 18 ready was "entirely unreasonable" and should have been closer to six months. While the idea of a special inquiry makes sense — given its scope can be much broader and isn't scope not as constrained as an inquest — it's hard to see the government willingly submit itself to another inquiry which almost certainly would not paint its work in a positive light. "I'm not going to add any more in relation to that, it's far too early," Corrective Services Commissioner Brad Royce said outside court. A state government spokesperson said it could not comment "until the inquest's final report is delivered". To its credit, the department has not been waiting for that final report to take action — something Coroner Urquhart did acknowledge. "We have had the opportunity throughout this inquest to understand the likely recommendations and we've acted on those," Commissioner Royce said. "From the time of the start of this coronial process you would see that there have been a lot of changes and I'd like to acknowledge that the staff at Corrective Services and our significant partners have put a lot of effort into the change that you've seen across the estate. "We acknowledge that we have a lot of work to do and we'll continue to work hard in that space." It is this change that Cleveland Dodd's family hope has a meaningful impact. "If Cleveland had all the right help … maybe he'd be here today with us," his grandmother Roslyn Sullivan said outside court. "All the things he went through, I wouldn't want another child to go through that." Despite the department's work, a key request of Cleveland's family — and what the coroner has flagged could be one of his key recommendations — remains just an idea. Since it opened there have been calls to close Unit 18, the argument being an adult prison will never be suitable to look after the state's most vulnerable youths. The government has maintained it cannot close the facility until a replacement is built, because it needs two distinct locations to manage young people in detention, lest the chaos that led to the opening of Unit 18 be repeated. The government promised to do that in late 2023, the month after Cleveland died. But the government is yet to allocate the project more than $11.5 million in last month's state budget — money it announced nearly a year ago for planning and early site works. That's not enough to satisfy Cleveland's family and those desperate for change. While not directly addressed by Coroner Urquhart, he did note he is still weighing up whether to recommend Unit 18 be closed when he hands down his final report. "Everything must be done to minimise the risk of another death of a child in youth detention in Western Australia," he said in closing the inquest's hearings yesterday. The ultimate test for this inquest — and any processes that follow it — is whether they result in real, lasting change in WA's long-troubled youth justice system. Former inspector of custodial services Neil Morgan wrote in 2017: "For the nine years I have been in this job, Banksia Hill has lurched from crisis to partial recovery and then back into crisis." Only time will tell if that cycle will be broken this time around. And while a specific examination into what went wrong at the department is not essential, it certainly wouldn't hurt efforts to deliver meaningful change.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Mormon Wives' Star Layla Taylor Shares Her Mental Health Struggles In The Hopes Of Helping Others
is sharing her story in the hopes of helping other people with similar struggles. As one of the stars of "," Layla is using her platform to share her mental health struggles and to address comments made about her weight. Layla recently took to social media to share some of her story, that includes self-harm, eating disorders, and issues with body dysmorphia. Layla is breaking her silence about some personal issues she's experienced in the hopes of helping others who struggle with similar issues. "Grateful I got to share some more about who I am and what I go through on the @secretlivesonhulu reunion. There's still so much left untold and I hope to share more one day when the time is right," she captioned an emotional video on Instagram. "One of the hardest parts about battling mental illness and healing from extreme trauma is the feeling of isolation and for me not wanting to burden anyone in my life with my struggles. I hope by sharing what I have gone through and continue to battle I help one person not feel alone and that there's hope." Her caption continued to explain that she's still dealing with some struggles but "will continue to fight through them." "I'm still battling things today but will continue to fight through them for my boys," she continued. "I hope that in sharing my journey I show, I'm not glamorizing my struggles, but creating a safe place for all those that struggle with the same. Sometimes just feeling heard can save a life." She concluded her caption with a message for others, "If you're ever dealing with thoughts of s3lf harm, suicid3, or eating disod3rds please reach out my DMs are always open. You never know what someone is going through, be kind. And for those currently struggling, you're amazing, the world wouldn't be the same without you and I'm proud of you." The comment section of her emotional and vulnerable post quickly filled up with love and encouraging words. Fellow "Mormon Wives" stars dropped into the comments to share some love. Miranda McWhorter wrote, "I'm sobbing actually. You're so brave and the best mommy Lay! So lucky to call you one of my best friends." Mayci Neeley added, "Proud of you bb! ILY." Taylor Frankie Paul said, "You're so strong and have come so far all on your own, your boys are so lucky to call YOU mom." Jen Affleck shared, "Thank you for sharing your story ily." Jessi Ngatikaura added, "Love you," and Mikayla Matthews shared some hearts. Fans also shared similar sentiments. "Self-harm is very rarely spoken about publicly and you're so brave to share your story and your scars so publicly. Your boys are lucky to have such a strong brave mum," one person wrote. Another added, "As someone who has struggled with self-harm in the past and have the scars to go along with it, thank you for sharing your experience and showing your strength. I have a little girl now and my only goal in life is to ensure she never has to know the kind of pain that we have experienced. Sending so much love your way." During the reunion special that debuted on July 1, Layla talked about some issues that never aired on the hit Hulu show. A never-seen-before clip showed Layla discussing comments about her body. According to Us Weekly, Layla told Demi Engemann, "I've been skinny my whole life though. I feel like everyone's concerned right now but I've been skinny my whole entire life." She confirmed that she still has issues with body dysmorphia. She also said, that being called "tiny" just further encourages her eating disorder. "For some reason, in my twisted brain I think I am going down the right track. That gives me an endorphin rush. Also just living in Utah, the need to chase perfection - when it's not attainable - is such a bad thing here," she said. Layla discussed her past self-harm with Demi, addressing her scars. "They're kind of visible but they're not too bad. I feel like I'm more insecure about those and it's just an image thing here,' she said. 'Because someone looks at them and they don't recognize what I've struggled with. They look at me and they judge.' When Viall asked how she's doing now, she said she's has been "better" recently. "I haven't self-harmed in a long time, which is good," she shared. "I got my scars removed and I'm trying to move past that." Today is the day! The first-ever "Mormon Wives" reunion debuted on Hulu today, July 1. Hosted by Nick Viall of the "Viall Files" podcast, one cast member was notably missing from the reunion drama - Demi Engemann. Those in attendance at the reunion - Taylor Frankie Paul, Mayci Neeley, Mikayla Matthews, Layla Taylor, Jen Affleck, Miranda McWhorter, Whitney Leavitt, and Jessi Ngatikaura, as well as some of the DadTok crew.
ABC News
2 days ago
- ABC News
WA coroner may call for inquiry into Unit 18 following Cleveland Dodd's death
The coroner investigating Western Australia's first recorded death in youth detention says there is significant evidence the teenager's needs were not met, and indicated he may call for a wider-ranging inquiry. WARNING: This story discusses incidents of self-harm and contains the name and image of an Indigenous person who has died. Cleveland Dodd was 16 when he self-harmed inside his cell in a maximum security adult prison unit which had been hastily turned into a youth detention facility. He died a week later. That prison unit was opened during a chaotic time in youth detention, but lawyers for the government argued much of the evidence heard about that period was beyond the scope of a coronial inquest which has sat for more than 40 days. 'It cannot be expected that the department would refer these matters to another entity,' Coroner Philip Urquhart said of the Justice Department's suggestion that it was for others to investigate. To that end, he indicated he may call for a special inquiry under the state's Public Sector Management Act, which could look at the actions of Department staff in setting up Unit 18. He referred to evidence by the then-Deputy Commissioner responsible for youth justice, Christine Ginbey who told the court the time frame to set up the facility was 'entirely unreasonable', and of current Commissioner Brad Royce who described it as 'ridiculously short'. 'There is evidence that has revealed aspects of the manner in which the department did its work which is worthy, in my view, of closer examination in a special inquiry,' Coroner Urquhart told the court. That included, he said, the accuracy of information sent out before the opening of the facility, whether Unit 18 was opened before it was safe to do so, and whether adequate resources had been provided from when Unit 18 was opened to when Cleveland died. 'The circumstances of how Unit 18 was operating … did not arise out of thin air. There had to be an explanation as to why Cleveland and his fellow detainees were in Unit 18 and why their living conditions were as they had been described,' Coroner Urquhart said. He told the court he would be confining any adverse findings against the department or its staff to actions taken, or not taken, which were connected or directly related to Cleveland's death. Yesterday the Justice Department apologised to his family, acknowledging a number of failings in his care in the lead up to his death. That included not allowing him enough time out of his cell and failing to ensure a CCTV camera in his cell was uncovered, which could have allowed staff to intervene earlier. The court had been told in Cleveland's final 93 days in custody, he was in his cell for 22 hours or more on 77 of those days. Among 25 proposed recommendations put forward by Counsel Assisting the Coroner, the Justice Department's lawyers indicated it supported all but three – including closing the unit where Cleveland died. The government has long maintained it cannot close the unit until another purpose-built facility is established. It has promised to build one near the main youth detention centre at Banksia Hill, but last month's budget contained no money for construction of that facility – only funds to continue planning and early works. Speaking outside court, WA's Corrective Services Commissioner Brad Royce refused to comment on whether he would support a special inquiry. "We have had the opportunity throughout this inquest to understand the likely recommendations and we've acted on those," he said. Commissioner Royce said the corrective services department has accepted and acknowledged a number of its failings throughout the inquest. "The staff at corrective services and our significant partners have put a lot of effort into the change that you've seen across the state," he said. "We acknowledge there's a long way to go but for us we work with some of the most traumatised kids in the state." A group of people lined the street outside the coroner's court holding signs calling for a close to Unit 18 and to fix the "broken" system.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Prison treatment of Indigenous teenager Cleveland Dodd was cruel, lawyer tells inquest
An Indigenous teenager who fatally self-harmed in detention was subjected to 'cruel and inhumane' treatment, a lawyer for his family said after the inquest into his death resumed. Cleveland Dodd was found unresponsive inside a cell in Unit 18, a youth wing of the high-security Casuarina prison facility for adults in Perth, in the early hours of 12 October 2023. The 16-year-old was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died a week later, causing outrage and grief in the community. A lawyer for Cleveland's mother Nadene Dodd was scathing of the care provided to the teenager by justice department staff, as he gave submissions to the Western Australian coroner's court on Monday. 'Cleveland was subjected to institutional abuse, cruel and inhumane treatment,' Steven Penglis told the inquest. The teenager spent more than 22 hours a day in his cell for 74 of the 86 days he was detained in Unit 18 before he self-harmed, he said. Over that period, he had four hours of recreation time, equating to about three minutes a day. His cell had no running water and in the hours before he was fatally injured he asked for water six times, Penglis said as he recapped evidence heard during the inquest that started in April 2024. Cleveland threatened to self-harm eight times and requested medical attention. His actions were the conclusion of a series of events, including being denied bail, a failed attempt to call his mother on her birthday and severe, untreated dental issues, Penglis said. 'Cleveland's death was preventable and predictable,' he said. An Aboriginal Legal Service lawyer, Julian McMahon, said the inquest revealed there was a readiness across all levels of the justice department to accept the unacceptable. 'What happened at Unit 18 was horrific,' he said in his submissions. There was an 'epidemic of self-harm' among a cohort of mostly Aboriginal children, he said. 'By self-harm, I mean attempted suicide,' McMahon said. There had been at least 17 self-harm threats in the 24 hours before Cleveland fatally injured himself, he said. Lawyers for senior justice department staff said their clients should not be subject to adverse findings, including former director general, Adam Tomison. How the facility was run was not his responsibility and corrective services staff should have followed policy, lawyer Jerome Allan said Tomison previously agreed children had been subject to appalling, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment in Unit 18 under his watch. The justice department apologised to Cleveland's family and said there were many issues in Unit 18 in 2023, including damaged infrastructure, excessive detainee confinement and staff shortages. On the night Cleveland self-harmed, he was not properly supervised and should have been given more water, lawyer Tim Russell said. 'More should have been done,' he said. But the department did not accept Unit 18 was unfit for youth detainees. The inquest previously heard Cleveland self-harmed about 1.35am and paramedics arrived at 2.06am, but did not get access to him for nine minutes. Cleveland died, surrounded by his family, on October 19, 2023. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for information and crisis support
ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
WA government apologises to family of Cleveland Dodd at inquest into his death
WARNING: This story discusses incidents of self-harm and contains the name and image of an Indigenous person who has died. The WA government has formally apologised to the family of Cleveland Dodd, whose death was the state's first recorded fatality in youth detention. Cleveland was 16 when he died after self-harming inside Unit 18 — a youth detention facility hurriedly set up inside maximum-security Casuarina Prison. An inquest probing his death began more than a year ago, and today heard closing submissions from lawyers on behalf of those involved in the case. Through its lawyer, the WA Justice Department apologised for its failings "connected with Cleveland's death". They said there had been "great change" in youth detention since and its Commissioner expressed "regret and remorse" for what had happened. Grant Donaldson SC is representing Christine Ginbey, who was the deputy commissioner for women and young people at the time of Cleveland's death. He told the court "there could be no doubt there was a staffing problem at Unit 18" which contributed to young people getting minimal time out of their cells. The inquest had earlier heard that in Cleveland's final 86 days in detention, he was allowed outside in the yard for a total of only four hours and 10 minutes — an average of less than three minutes a day. But he said staffing was an "extraordinarily complex issue" and that it was difficult to get people to work in jails and detention centres as required skills were difficult to train. Mr Donaldson also said his client should not be blamed for inaccuracies in a promotional video she recorded about how Unit 18 would operate, because they had been drafted by a strategic communications professional and checked by the then-director general. Earlier, before Mr Donaldson made his arguments, Cleveland's mother Nadene said she had to walk out of court because "the recapping of the horrific neglect of my son was inhumane beyond words". "It was both barbarous and criminal," she said. "If people are not held to lawful account then justice will have been denied." Her lawyer Stephen Penglis SC had told the court Ms Dodd wanted the Justice Department to implement all recommendations made by the coroner to minimise the chance of another young person taking their life in detention. Mr Penglis said the small amount of time Cleveland spent outside of his cell amounted to "cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment". He water was not given to Cleveland on the night he died despite his repeated requests, and that his threats of self-harm were not taken seriously. Because hatches in cell doors had been welded shut, providing water required "breaching" the cell, which needed the permission of the senior officer overnight. Mr Penglis said on the night Cleveland self-harmed, the officer on duty's refusal to do so was an "unreasonable, egregious and inexcusable failure" to provide a "human right". But Edward Greaves, representing that officer, Kyle Mead-Hunter, rejected those suggestions, saying his client had been told Cleveland was given extra water with dinner and that he did not recall any staff asking him to authorise further providing further water. "To try and blame this on one person and to blame it on Mr Mead-Hunter does not pass the test, in our submission." Mr Greaves had earlier accepted an adverse finding would be made against Mr Mead-Hunter for not wearing his radio on the night, which meant the officer who found Cleveland had to walk to Mr Mead-Hunter's office to get a key to unlock him. He said Mr Mead-Hunter "was failed by the system" and that "he learnt how the unit ran at night time from the [youth custodial officers] he was supposed to be leading". The Aboriginal Legal Service's lawyer Julian McMahon told the court the situation in youth detention prior to Cleveland's death had deteriorated because all levels of the department had been ready "to accept what is clearly, what was clearly, unacceptable". "We mustn't become immune to the horror of that concept, that a boy with some disability, with serious difficulties, was actually in solitary confinement for the last few months of his life," she said. Mr McMahon said there had been warnings about the issues at Unit 18 from when it opened and many of the first detainees there were recorded as self-harming. "What that tells you … is at that at that time and in hindsight without doubt, enormous resources were required and it tells you that without that enormous effort which did not eventuate Unit 18 was destined to and indeed did fail as a project," he said.
