Inquest into the deaths of Shiralee Deanne Tilberoo and Vlasta Wylucki

Female·Vlasta Wylucki: ischaemic heart disease due to coronary atherosclerosis (previous angioplasty-stent). Shiralee Deanne Tilberoo: subarachnoid haemorrhage due to ruptured berry aneurysm.

Two women died of natural causes in Queensland police watchhouses but supervisory failures raised serious concerns. Ms Wylucki (50) died from ischaemic heart disease after inadequate cell checks failed to detect her vomiting overnight; had she been checked properly and medical attention sought, there was a potential opportunity for intervention. Ms Tilberoo (49), an Aboriginal woman, died from a ruptured berry aneurysm; although this sudden event was not preventable, inadequate cell checks during the night she died meant her death was not detected for hours. Both cases expose systemic issues: physical cell checks were not conducted to required standards, nursing staff were not available 24/7, and vulnerable prisoners with medical and withdrawal symptoms lacked adequate supervision. The coroner found the QPS policies themselves were appropriate but their implementation failed, and made recommendations for enhanced medical staffing, improved training, reduced watchhouse detention periods, and external oversight.