Tammy Shipley Dies in Custody from Water Intoxication
Tammy Shipley, 47, died in custody at Silverwater women’s correctional centre in New South Wales on December 20, 2022. Her death was attributed to water intoxication, following her arrest on minor shoplifting charges.
Custody Details Emerge
CCTV footage captured Shipley consuming water from a red cup at least 67 times between 12:33 AM and 11:51 AM on the day of her death. Each cup held 300ml, meaning she consumed a minimum of 20 litres of water within that period. Excessive water intake had also been noted in the two days leading up to her death.
At 11:55 AM, Shipley collapsed on her bed, experiencing vomiting, defecation, and spasms. Crucially, prison guards did not become aware of her critical condition until 1:15 PM. This delay occurred despite officers passing her cell at 12:27 PM and 12:41 PM, with their view into the cell obstructed by blinds.
The alarm was finally raised when a prison officer attempted to speak to Shipley. Two prison nurses located her unresponsive at 1:35 PM. Tragically, attempts to revive her and perform CPR were unsuccessful.
An autopsy conclusively determined the cause of death to be hyponatremia, stemming from extremely low sodium levels. This was attributed to polydipsia, an unquenchable thirst, and complications of schizoaffective disorder.
Mental Health History and Information Gaps
Shipley had a documented history of severe mental health illnesses, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, alongside substance abuse and previous suicide attempts. Despite this, NSW police failed to relay these critical mental health conditions to the NSW corrections department or custody management officers following her arrest. During her arrest, Shipley even reported hearing voices, though she denied having mental health conditions at the time.
Inquest Underway and Scope Extended
A coronial inquest into Shipley's death began in September 2024. Following a challenge from the police commissioner, the Supreme Court of NSW made a significant ruling: the coroner's jurisdiction extends to thoroughly examining the circumstances of Shipley's arrest and her ongoing detention while mentally unwell. The inquest, led by state coroner Teresa O’Sullivan, resumed on Monday.
The inquest is currently assessing the adequacy of mental health indicators within both police and custodial management systems for effectively managing individuals with complex mental health issues.
The coroner has proposed system updates comparable to those currently used to flag a history of family violence, aiming to prevent similar tragedies.