Death of Ms Dhu

Death of Ms Dhu.
Ms Dhu was a 22-year-old Australian Aboriginal woman who died in police custody in Western Australia on August 4, 2014. Dhu had been arrested two days earlier for unpaid fines, and was required to serve four days in custody to clear part of the debt. While detained, Dhu complained of pain and was taken to hospital. Police accused her of faking her condition, and medical staff believed her complaints were exaggerated and suspected drug withdrawal. Dhu died shortly after arriving on her third visit to hospital. The cause of death was an infection due to three-month-old rib fractures caused by her partner. An internal police investigation found 11 officers had not complied with regulations or were guilty of misconduct. A coronial inquest found that she suffered "unprofessional and inhumane" handling by police and "deficient" treatment from hospital staff. The inquest recommended not imprisoning people for unpaid fines and introducing a Custody Notification Scheme.