Warning: This story contains the name and images of a deceased Indigenous person.

Correctional staff withheld medication from youth detainees if they had assaulted staff, an inquest into the death of an Indigenous teen who harmed himself in the troubled wing of an adult prison has been told.

Cleveland Dodd was found unresponsive in the early hours of October 12, 2023, inside his cell in Unit 18 at Perth’s Casuarina Prison, becoming the first juvenile to die in detention in Western Australia.

The 16-year-old had made multiple threats to self-harm and numerous requests for medical treatment and drinking water in the hours before he was discovered and taken to hospital.

He died eight days later.

The nurse who tried to save his life before paramedics arrived, Fiona Bain, told the coroner in Perth on Thursday that she has no recollection of a youth custodial officer telling her Cleveland had requested medical help on three occasions in the hours before he hurt himself.

Bain said she was also unaware the teen had asked for Panadol as she detailed the process staff had to follow before they were able to give a detainee medication during the night shift.

It involved seeking permission from a senior officer, who could deny the nurse’s request and professional recommendation if it was deemed there was a risk the detainee could stockpile the drug, overdose or trade them.

Bain also said senior officers could deny detainees medication if they had assaulted correctional staff earlier in the day or in the days prior.