Aboriginal man, 29, dies in custody in WA prison
A 29-year-old Aboriginal man has died in custody at Casuarina prison in Western Australia. Authorities said he was found unresponsive in his cell on Thursday morning, and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Western Australia’s Department of Justice said in a statement that prison staff commenced first aid while emergency medical support was requested.
According to the department, staff administered first aid until St John Ambulance officers arrived at the facility to continue medical intervention. The man was declared deceased at the scene by paramedics.
Preliminary reports provided by authorities indicate there were no suspicious circumstances in relation to the mans death. Officials have not released further details regarding the sequence of events before he was found in his cell. Authorities reported no suspicious circumstances.
WA Police will report to the State Coroner, with a coronial inquest to follow.
Key Points
- Aboriginal man, 29, found unresponsive in Casuarina prison cell
- Prison staff provided first aid before St John Ambulance arrived
- Man declared deceased at the scene by paramedics Thursday morning
- Preliminary reports indicate no suspicious circumstances in the death
- WA Police to prepare report for the State Coroner
- Death will be subject to a mandatory coronial inquest in WA
- AIC reports 61 deaths in custody since 1 January 2026, including 16 Indigenous
As is mandatory for all deaths in custody, WA Police will prepare a report for the State Coroner. The death will be subject to a coronial inquest, as required under Western Australian procedures for custodial deaths.
Broader custodial death figures
According to data by the Australian Institute of Criminology, there have been 61 deaths in custody since 1 January 2026. Those include deaths occurring in prison custody, police custody or youth detention.
Of those 61 deaths recorded since the start of 2026, the institutes data shows that 16 of the people who died were Indigenous. These figures incorporate custodial settings across the criminal justice system, including prisons, police custody, and youth detention.
The Australian Institute of Criminology data follows on from a longer-term count of Indigenous deaths in custody. There have been over 630 Indigenous deaths in custody since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
