Family demands answers after Aboriginal mother dies in Tennant Creek custody

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this story contains the name of a person who has died.

The family of 44‑year‑old Aboriginal mother of five Kumanjayi Dempsey is calling for answers after she died in police custody at the Tennant Creek watch house in the Northern Territory on 27 December 2025.

Ms Dempsey, who had longstanding ties to north‑west Queensland and had lived in Tennant Creek for many years, was arrested on Christmas Day over an alleged aggravated assault. She was held in the local watch house for about 43 hours before her death.

Closed‑circuit television footage shows Ms Dempsey collapsing in her cell shortly after 12.30pm on 27 December. Police records and subsequent reporting indicate it took close to half an hour for officers to notice she had fallen. When officers entered the cell, they began CPR and called an ambulance, but Ms Dempsey was pronounced dead at Tennant Creek Hospital a short time later.

A post‑mortem has so far listed the cause of death as “undetermined”, with toxicology results still pending. NT Police say current information suggests Ms Dempsey suffered a medical episode while alone in her cell.

Her relatives and community members say she had long‑standing health issues, including rheumatic heart disease – a serious but preventable condition that disproportionately affects First Nations peoples and can lead to heart failure and stroke.

Unlike watch houses in Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine and Alice Springs, Tennant Creek does not have an on‑duty custody nurse, despite coronial recommendations after the 2012 death in custody of Warlpiri man Kwementyaye Briscoe that nurses be stationed in NT watch houses. Instead, detainees undergo a health assessment conducted by police officers. NT Police say Ms Dempsey was assessed on admission and was “deemed fit for custody”.

The family, represented by O’Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors, has described Ms Dempsey’s death as “a devastating indictment of systemic failure” and says she should have received proper medical supervision and culturally safe care.

The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) is again calling for an independent investigation, arguing that internal police inquiries after Aboriginal deaths in custody “are not sufficient to ensure accountability or public confidence”.

NT Police say the force’s major crime unit is investigating, with oversight from its Professional Standards and Cultural Reform commands. A mandatory coronial inquest will examine the circumstances of Ms Dempsey’s death.

Her death is the fourth in NT Police custody in 2025 and the ninth in a Northern Territory police watch house since 1997, adding to long‑standing concerns about the safety of Aboriginal people in custody.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers who need support can contact 13YARN on 13 92 76. Lifeline is available on 13 11 14, MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978 and Beyond Blue via its 24/7 support service.