WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this story contains images of people who have died.
The family of a NSW woman who died a month after an alleged assault inside a bathroom is demanding answers over the tragedy.
Mum-of-two Jamikka Olive, 28, died on July 28 after suffering what her family believes was a seizure.
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About a month earlier, Olive was allegedly assaulted by a group of people at Casino Returned Services Memorial Club in northern NSW.
One person has been charged over the assault.
Olive’s cause of death is being investigated. Her family is calling for a full coronial inquest to examine the treatment she received and the response by police.
“We’re absolutely devastated. We’re gutted,” the 28-year-old’s great aunt Paula Coghill said.
“We’ve lost a daughter, a beautiful mum.
“The main issue is that we honestly believe Jamikka has not received the care and duty of care from the state.
“We’re still yet to find some answers. It’s just harrowing.”
Alleged assault
On June 23, Olive was on a night out at the local club when she went to the bathroom, where it is alleged a group of people attacked her, leaving her with bruises and cuts to her face and body.
An ambulance was called but had not arrived after almost an hour, Coghill said, so Olive’s brother drove her to Casino and District Memorial Hospital — where no on-call doctor was available.
Instead, Coghill said Olive had a video call with a doctor at nearby Lismore Hospital, was given stitches and sent home with pain-killers.
“I saw Jamikka the next morning and I screamed, I couldn’t believe the injuries. It was so horrific,” Coghill said.
“Given the head injuries and the way she presented, I was gobsmacked as to why the hospital didn’t admit her to be monitored.”
Olive went back to hospital the following morning, and the family contacted police.
Coghill questioned why hospital staff didn’t call police when Olive presented with her injuries.
And while police were called when Olive was allegedly assaulted at the club, there were a number of altercations at the time and officers did not speak to Olive there, Coghill said.
NSW Police said officers attended the venue in response to reports of several altercations and arrived to find “a large group of people gathered in the street”.
“Police will allege that as they attempted to move the crowd on, a confrontation occurred between police and two males,” police said, adding the two young men were pepper sprayed and tasered before being taken into custody.
While Coghill said the initial police response was “appalling” — given officers did not attend to Olive at the venue — she said the family were satisfied with the progress of the investigation into the alleged assault so far.
Days after the incident, a 21-year-old woman was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company of others and is set to face Casino Local Court in September.
Demand for answers
However, the family believes if police had been present at the venue earlier on the night, it may have deterred the alleged offenders.
Coghill said police routinely attended the club to check IDs and other compliances, but were not in such strong presence on the night in question — until they were called, at which time Coghill said their response in pepper-spraying and tasering the two men was “an absolute overreach … as far as I’m concerned, it was racially motivated”.
Prior to the incident, Coghill said Olive was being harassed by the group that ultimately allegedly attacked her and, after the assault, became fearful of further attacks until an arrest was made.
“From that Saturday morning onwards, my niece was unsafe and was terrified for her life,” Coghill said.
Coghill also believes the initial health services response was inadequate, and Olive did not receive the follow-up care and support she needed.
“She was just left to her own devices. The only ones who were caring and trying to respond and do something was her family,” she said.
“We can’t understand how she was not deemed or valued to receive the same response and care that she deserved.
“We even said if this was a white girl, you would’ve had her transferred to Lismore or helicoptered up to the Gold Coast.”
Northern NSW Local Health District said it was not appropriate to comment on the matter because it has been referred to the coroner.
“NNSWLHD extends its deepest condolences to family and friends for their loss,” it said.
Olive suffered what her family believe was a seizure on July 28 and she died shortly after. The assault has not been directly linked to her death.
Justice for Jamikka
The family is calling for a public inquiry or inquest to examine the care and treatment Olive received.
A GoFundMe has also been launched to help raise money for Olive’s children.
“Jamikka’s smile … when you would see her and or she’d see you coming, her whole face lit up,” Coghill said.
“I’ve never ever seen a smile like it. If you’re at a distance, you could see her smile and as you’re coming towards her, it was like she was so glad to see you … that’s just what she radiated.
“She loved people, she loved her family and she absolutely loved her babies and lived for them.
“It’s just giving the best chance with these young children to have a best start in life and to continue to have that best start in life.
“She did a good job and I hope that we can all provide the same high quality support that Jamikka’s given them.”
The family has not yet been able to lay the mum-of-two to rest, as her body remains with the coroner.
Investigations into the assault continue.
First Nations people seeking mental health support should contact Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line 13YARN on 13 92 76 or 13yarn.org.au.