The Northern Territory's major crime unit is investigating the death of a 44-year-old Aboriginal woman in police custody in Tennant Creek, an incident that has prompted urgent calls from legal advocates for an independent inquiry.
Details of the Incident and Police Response
The woman, a mother of five, passed away in the Tennant Creek watch house on Saturday, 27 December. She had been arrested two days earlier, on Christmas Day, for an alleged aggravated assault.
NT police stated that her death appeared to follow a medical episode inside her cell. Acting Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley confirmed the investigation is being treated with the utmost seriousness, with oversight from the force's Professional Standards and Cultural Reform Commands.
"At this stage, it appears the woman has suffered a medical incident," Malley said. A postmortem examination was scheduled for Friday, though results are still pending.
Legal Service Demands External Scrutiny
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) has declared that an internal police investigation is insufficient. Chief Executive Ben Grimes argued that such probes fail to ensure accountability or inspire public confidence within Aboriginal communities.
"Aboriginal families and communities have repeatedly said they do not trust a system where police are effectively investigating themselves after a death," Grimes stated. "Independent, transparent investigations are critical not only to uncovering the truth, but also to maintaining community trust and preventing future deaths."
This stance contrasts with comments from Acting Assistant Commissioner Malley, who the previous day said he had "no issues" with police investigating police, asserting, "We investigate our own all the time. We're very good at it."
Watch House Conditions and National Context
The case has highlighted specific concerns about custody facilities. Unlike watch houses in Alice Springs, Palmerston, and Darwin, the Tennant Creek watch house does not have an on-duty custody nurse. This was a key recommendation from a coronial inquiry following a 2012 death in custody in Alice Springs.
NT police stated that an "in depth" health assessment was conducted on the woman by an on-duty officer upon admission, and she was "deemed fit for custody." The assessment included questions about underlying health conditions. It is understood the woman suffered from rheumatic heart disease, a condition disproportionately affecting Indigenous Australians.
Police said the woman was found unresponsive during a cell check at 1.03pm on 27 December. Officers performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but she was later pronounced dead at Tennant Creek Hospital.
This death occurs against a distressing national backdrop. In the 2024-25 period, 113 deaths in custody were recorded, with 33 of those being Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This marks the highest number of Indigenous deaths in custody in a single year since 1979.
Barkly MP Steve Edgington extended his thoughts to the woman's family, noting the matter is subject to investigation by police and the coroner.
