Warning: this article contains the name of an Aboriginal person who has died. It also discusses distressing themes, including suicide.
The family of a Yamatji teenager who fatally self-harmed in youth detention wants an inquest to refocus on their son’s death after a bid to remove the coroner failed.
Cleveland Dodd was found unresponsive inside a cell in the youth wing of a high-security adult prison .
The 16-year-old was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died a week later, causing outrage and grief in the community.
The inquest had sat for about a month in various tranches until WA’s Deputy Corrective Services Commissioner Christine Ginbey last week attempted to have the coroner removed from the case, alleging apprehended bias.
The bid failed and on Tuesday, Cleveland’s mother, Nadene Dodd, and father, Wayne Gentle, called for accountability over their son’s death at a press conference with social justice advocates.
“They want a refocus on their child. They want a refocus on the people that were responsible for their child,” youth detention expert Gerry Georgatos told reporters on Tuesday.
“There was suffering, there was horror, there was trauma, there was psychological injury, there was physical injury, there was death.”
Mr Georgatos said Ms Dodd and Mr Gentle wanted answers.
“It’s now becoming a year-long process and it’s hurting,” he said.
“It’s frustrating. It’s a sea of grief, but a mother and father are not hearing from the people that need to be heard from, and they’re seeing a system in denial and culpability in terms of accountability not being addressed by everyone.”
Ms Dodd said the process had compounded her family’s suffering and pain.
“What about the people that got all the answers and know everything [that happened] in Unit 18?” she said.
Mr Gentle said the justice department needed to be held accountable for his son’s death.
“I feel lost in this world without my son,” he said.
Cleveland Dodd, 16, died after being found unresponsive in his cell at Unit 18. Source: Supplied / Approved and Supplied by Mr Dodd’s family
“Because he was my beautiful boy, my beautiful boy.
“They should have done better.
“That’s not a place for kids in a man’s prison and that’s wrong.”
Mr Gentle described Cleveland as a strong boy before his death.
“He’ll always be in my heart forever … me and his mum, nothing in this world will ever take our love away from him and his love from us,” he said.
Suicide prevention advocate Megan Krakouer questioned why no Indigenous witnesses had been called to give evidence at the inquest.
“There’s so much racism and discrimination,” she said.
“There hasn’t been any Aboriginal people that have actually taken the stand to speak of the injustices and ways forward.
“There’s a huge power imbalance that is happening here.”
The inquest has previously heard Cleveland was held in solitary confinement in Unit 18 at Casuarina Prison for more than 22 hours per day before his death.
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