An inquest has heard efforts to resuscitate a woman who died in a Queensland prison cell were delayed because nurses were not told she had been restrained using a spit hoood. The woman's family wants the controversial restraints banned.
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00:00 Celesta Tefifer's family wants justice.
00:05 We loved on her hard and she loved on us hard and that's why we're here today.
00:10 In November 2021, the 44-year-old died in her cell at the Townsville Women's Correctional
00:15 Centre after being restrained by prison officers.
00:19 A coronial inquest has heard resuscitation efforts were delayed because nurses were not
00:24 told crucial information, including that she'd been wearing a spit hood and had been struggling
00:30 to breathe.
00:31 "If I'd known those things as we got there and they told us she had deteriorated that
00:35 quickly I would have actually assumed she was in arrest when we got there."
00:40 Her family says her mental health issues were ignored.
00:43 "And when she does voice her concerns it was either restraints or spit hood."
00:51 The inquest heard the woman had previously been put in a spit hood just days before her
00:56 death.
00:57 She complained she couldn't breathe and in that incident the officer removed the restraint.
01:03 "It really did make me wish deep down in my heart that he was on shift instead of the
01:10 people that were on shift."
01:13 Her family hopes the inquest will lead to spit hoods being banned.
01:17 [BLANK_AUDIO]