Cleveland Dodd was found unresponsive inside a cell in a troubled youth wing of a high-security adult prison in the early hours of October 12, 2023.
The 16-year-old was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died about one week later, causing outrage and grief in the community.
Cleveland Dodd was found unresponsive in his cell in the youth wing of Casuarina Prison in Perth. (Aaron Bunch/AAP PHOTOS)
The inquest's first sitting in April heard senior officer Kyle Mead-Hunter was found partially clothed in a darkened office by a lower-ranking officer after Cleveland was found in distress.
He was on duty despite an earlier finding made against him for breaching a lawful order by the WA Justice Department's professional standards division.
Mr Mead-Hunter was expected to give evidence on Monday but Coroner Philip Urquhart said he had been excused after the court received a report from his psychologist.
It stated Mr Mead-Hunter was being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder and the symptoms render him "incapable of tolerating extended periods of questioning".
"I'm left with no option other than to excuse Mr Mead-Hunter from the summons he has received to attend the court," he said.
"I have no doubt that Cleveland's family will be disappointed with that decision."
Outside of court Cleveland's family and their supporters were outraged by the decision.
Cleveland's grandmother Glenda Mippy said she was disgusted.
"He calls it trauma. What about Cleveland's family, his father and mother ... what about what we're going through," she said.
"He was the one who was sleeping on a job ... We wanted to hear from him.
"We're not going to get the answers ... all because they run to a doctor for backup."
Cleveland's grandmother Glenda Mippy (left) spoke out after an officer was not required to appear. (Aaron Bunch/AAP PHOTOS)
Aboriginal Legal Service director Peter Collins told the court that two weeks before Cleveland died, his office had requested the department transfer the teen from Unit 18 to Banksia Hill Youth Detention Centre but received no response.
The letter said conditions at Unit 18 were negatively impacting Cleveland's wellbeing, he wasn't able to access education and was being locked in his cell for long periods.
Mr Collins said the department failed to reply to most letters sent by the legal service, including one that raised concerns about the unit over frequent lockdowns, lack of access to education, and inadequate mental health support and responses to serious harm.
He said conditions at Unit 18 also made it tough for ALS lawyers to adequately represent the detainees in court.
Visits were only possible on four days for limited periods in the adult wing at Perth's Casuarina Prison.
Youths are handcuffed and unlike other prisons in WA, lawyers aren't able to speak confidentially to their clients.
The inquest previously heard Cleveland made eight threats to self-harm and numerous requests for medical treatment and drinking water in the hours before he was discovered in Unit 18.
He had also covered a CCTV camera in his cell with tissue paper, blocking the view of correctional staff monitoring him from a control room, but it wasn't uncovered until they were fighting to save his life.
Cleveland was found at 1.49am and a code red alert issued two minutes later as staff tried to revive the teen.
Paramedics arrived at 2.06am but did not get access to Cleveland, who was found to be in cardiac arrest, for nine minutes.
The teen was partially revived and taken to hospital but suffered a brain injury due to a lack of oxygen.
He died, surrounded by his family, on October 19.
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