Cherdeena Wynne
Indigenous woman Cherdeena Wynne, 26, died after falling unconscious in custody.
Wynne’s mother said eight police officers entered her home at 3.30am on 4 April 2019, and manhandled Cherdeena to the ground while calling her a different name. Wynne’s mother said police were at her house for at least 20 minutes and left her daughter.
Police were called again and found Wynne “behaving erratically” in Tate Street, where police said she was handcuffed “to prevent injury to herself and emergency services”.
She was uncuffed when she lost consciousness to allow police and paramedics to commence CPR. She was revived and taken in the ambulance to Royal Perth hospital, where she remained in an induced coma until she died on April 9.
On 15 April 2021, a group of 15 families have launched a petition calling on the Prime Minister to meet with them and set out their 10 demands to help the families of the victims restore justice and improve the lives of Aboriginal people. Wynne’s family also joined the petition and said they want justice for her.
In June 2021, it was announced that the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody plans to conduct an independent investigation into the death of 26-year-old Cherdeena Wynne by the end of 2021.
MASS MEDIA ABOUT THE CASE:
“She shouted to me, ‘mummy I can’t breathe’,” Shirley Wynne said.
“We are supposed to respect the police and trust the police. How can we when these things keep happening? You wonder why our young people get angry. I am just beside myself,” said Wynne’s grandmother.
CASE STATUS:
The initiative group has requested the clarification from Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison, Attorney-General of Australia Michaelia Cash and Minister for Home Affairs of Australia Karen Andrews. The initiative group believes it is important to fight against police brutality and, if necessary, will provide legal and financial assistance to the family of the victim.
