00:00A year of waiting for answers is weighing heavily on Nadine Dodd and Wayne Gentle.
00:08I feel lost in this world without my son.
00:16Their son, Cleveland Dodd, died almost a year ago after self-harming inside Unit 18,
00:21a youth detention unit inside a maximum security adult prison.
00:25The inquest today heard from Unit 18 Deputy Superintendent of Security Solomon Oduwu.
00:31He explained the unit was very difficult to manage and was very unsafe through 2023
00:36in the lead up to the teenager's death because there was a lot of damage everywhere and limited staff.
00:41Asked by Coroner Urquhart how he felt about children being kept in their cells for 16 hours a day,
00:47he replied, not good, and agreed it contributed to a feeling of despair among staff.
00:53The search for answers by Cleveland Dodd's parents is set to take even longer
00:57with a fourth round of witness hearings now being planned for December.
01:01It's been welcomed, but added to the family's concerns about their capacity to travel
01:06from regional WA to Perth for the inquest.
01:09Since the second tranche, there's been no support whatsoever from the Department of Corrective Services.
01:15It's like they've pulled back from their responsibilities.
01:18The family get all the support they need so that they can participate in that inquiry.
01:22A Department of Justice spokesperson said it was not usual practice for the department
01:26to provide accommodation support to families attending inquests.
01:30An ex gratia payment from the state to compensate the family for their loss is also being pursued.
01:36The family should be supported financially and should not be taken for granted
01:40and should not be left penniless.
01:42In the meantime, the family have one hope.
01:45I want to see someone get held accountable for doing the wrong things, what they've done.
01:52Something the coroner is limited in his power to do, but which the family hope others will take up.
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