Ryan Liddle from NITV reports that an independent body of inquiry into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody must include Indigenous people, after a Kamilaroi man's family weren't notified of him being in hospital until he had passed away in custody.
Today the Whitaker family, friends and supporters gathered in Hyde Park in Sydney and marched to the NSW Government Parliament house, calling for answers on the circumstances leading up to their son's death this month in the Westmead Hospital in New South Wales.
New South Wales Police and Corrections staff have reported to NITV that the 35 year old man's death was under investigation and they are not treating his death as suspicious.
Aunty Diane Whitaker says her family have been given a vague response from NSW Police and Corrective Services to his death and 'a few different versions,' around the circumstances of her nephew's fall in Parklea Correctional facility. Mr Whitaker's family was informed that he passed away shackled to a hospital bed after several attempts of being resuscitated and did not survive.
Ryan Liddle reports that when it comes to issues of transparency in operational procedures and the health of Indigenous people, social justice campaigner Ken Canning says that he's seen the same narrative for every Indigenous person who has died in custody and an independent inquiry body should include Indigenous people into the investigations of Aboriginal Deaths in custody
