An Aboriginal teenager has tragically died by suicide at a youth prison in Western Australia (WA). The 17-year-old was found unresponsive in his cell on Thursday, just two days after being admitted, and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals face stark disparities in incarceration rates, with their mortality rates in custody significantly higher than those of non-Indigenous Australians. While deaths in juvenile detention centers are rare, this incident marks the second within the state in less than a year.
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook described the event as “horrible” and announced an investigation to understand the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. The teenager, who remains unnamed, entered the facility in an intoxicated state and was placed under intense supervision due to health concerns. However, officials indicated there were no apparent signs of mental distress at the time of his death.
The boy had spent much of Thursday afternoon outside his cell, with staff conducting regular checks—ten times in the hours leading up to his passing. This incident follows the death of 16-year-old Cleveland Dodd in a WA youth detention center ten months earlier, which led to investigations revealing significant lapses in care despite clearing staff of serious misconduct.
Commissioner of Corrective Services Brad Royce reviewed surveillance footage from the facility and deemed the staff’s response “appropriate.” Premier Cook assured that conditions in youth detention centers have improved since the previous incident, expressing increased confidence in the management of these facilities.
Amid ongoing international scrutiny, there are calls to raise the age of criminal responsibility in Australia, which is as low as 10 years in some states and disproportionately impacts First Nations children. Conditions in youth detention centers have faced global criticism, including from the UN, for allegedly violating international law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Amnesty International has emphasized the preventable nature of this recent death, questioning the government’s response to repeated warnings regarding youth detention facilities. In response to ongoing concerns, the Corrective Services Minister, Paul Papalia, stated that there were “no obvious, immediate, systemic change” needs identified but affirmed a commitment to addressing any required adjustments.
