Police thought an Aboriginal woman in custody was faking pain before her death, while doctors believed she was withdrawing from drugs, a West Australian inquest has heard.
Julieka Dhu, 22, died two days after being locked up at South Hedland Police Station in August last year for failing to pay fines totalling $3622, stemming from several offences including disorderly behaviour and assaulting a police officer.
A coronial inquest is examining the care and treatment Ms Dhu received from police and staff at the Hedland Health Campus.
The inquest heard on Monday that Ms Dhu had broken her ribs months earlier, and repeatedly complained in custody of pain and having difficulty breathing.
She was taken to hospital twice in two days, and each time doctors deemed her fit to remain in custody after giving her medication, including diazepam and paracetamol.
Dr Vafa Naderi noted Ms Dhu kept changing her story, which made it difficult to characterise the nature and location of her pain.
"Dr Naderi's impression was that she was withdrawing from drugs or had behavioural issues," counsel assisting the coroner Ilona O'Brien said in her opening address.
On the third day, Ms Dhu could not move her legs and her body was numb, so police carried her to the van and took her to hospital again.
But one officer believed she pretended to faint when they placed her in a wheelchair.
She died less than an hour later from staphylococcal septicaemia and pneumonia.
Supporters who filled the courtroom gasped and cried while watching security footage of Ms Dhu in custody, including when police dragged and carried her limp body to the van.
One officer was heard telling Ms Dhu to "shut up" as she moaned.
Ms Dhu's mother Della Roe told the coroner her daughter was family-oriented and bubbly, but that changed when she started dating a much older man and using drugs.
On one occasion, Ms Roe noticed her daughter had a black eye, but when she asked whether her partner had hit her, Ms Dhu replied: "Oh mum, don't worry. It's an old one, it's going away."
Ms Dhu's father Robert testified she had told him her boyfriend had "flogged" her and broken her ribs.
He said he was concerned his daughter was treated cruelly and like a dog in custody.
"They should not treat anybody like that," he said.
Outside court, Della Roe cried while explaining she still suffered depression and sleepless nights.
The family has campaigned for changes to WA laws for people who cannot pay fines.
Premier Colin Barnett fast-tracked the inquest after public outrage, which included rallies across Australia about deaths in custody.
The inquest continues.
