An Indigenous inmate has died at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH), making him the second Indigenous death in custody in the space of a week.
The 37-year-old man from Port Lincoln was on remand when he died Thursday.
The man had been taken to the RAH in June under the Mental Health Act, and remanded in custody at the hospital’s mental health ward.
The South Australian Aboriginal Legal Rights movement said it was providing support to the man’s family.
Speaking to NITV News on Friday, CEO of the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement, Chris Larkin said the man’s death was a “tragedy” that should not have happened, and urged governments to enact the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Indigenous deaths in custody.
“For years we’ve been talking about the recommendations of the Royal Commission... they haven’t happened," he said.
“What we need to do is not only put in place those recommendations, but we need to actually put in place programs which prevent people going into custody or coming into contact with the justice system.
“It’s such a tragedy when these sorts of things happen and we will provide the family with any support they need to help them navigate through that process."
In a statement to NITV News, the SA Department of Correctional Services said they were now reviewing the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.
“The Department was advised by SA Health of the passing of a prisoner on 15 July at the RAH," read the statement.
"The Department is working with the family and will offer ongoing support during this difficult time. The incident has been referred to the Coroner’s Office.”
In a statement from SA Health's Central Adelaide Local Health Network, the organisation said they were unable to provide further detail as the case has been referred to the Coroner’s Office.
The man's death comes after another death in custody on Thursday last week.
43-year-old Ngemba man, Frank 'Gud' Coleman was found unresponsive in his cell at the Long Bay Correctional Complex in Sydney.
Almost 500 First Nations people have died in custody since the Royal Commission handed down its findings in April 1991.
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