Coroners Inquest into Teens Death in Youth Detention: A Call for Systemic ReformThe inquest into the death of Cleveland Dodd, the first recorded death in Western Australias youth detention, has concluded with a harrowing account of his final months in solitary confinement. Coroner Philip Urquhart described it as the saddest case hes ever presided over, emphasizing the need for community action to prevent such tragedies.Cleveland, a teenager with major depressive disorder and a suspected neurological disability, was kept in solitary confinement for most of his final three months. The Coroner deemed this practice inhumane and reminiscent of nineteenth-century jails.The Coroner is calling for a complete overhaul of the detention system, warning that simply making minor changes is not enough. He questioned whether the alternative is more children in state care taking their own lives due to hopelessness.The inquest found Clevelands death preventable and predictable, despite some positive changes in detention conditions. The system remains fundamentally flawed. The governments response to the findings shows a degree of stubbornness, as they dismiss expert recommendations and stick with current practices.The situation highlights that vulnerable young lives are at stake, and history will show if lessons have truly been learned from this tragedy.

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