#JusticeForDougie. Inquest needed into the death of our son.

The issue

I'm wanting people to help me with this petition to receive an Inquest from the State Coroner regarding the death of my son, Ricky "Dougie" Hampson Jnr, who seeked medical treatment from a NSW hospital, he explained something popped inside his abdomen, like a tearing feeling he explained. They were bias to his presentation which they admitted to through an internal investigation.

Being an Aboriginal man that admitted to being a casual marijuana smoker and his unshaven, rough looks and the tattoos on his hands made him a target for discrimination. They gave him a sedative for no good reason, filled him with opioids for 19hrs before discharging him without any scans or X-rays. He had a high heart rate of up to 130bpm for at least 18hrs in the hospitals care but no proper treatment was given.

No senior medical doctor examined Dougie, they didn't treat him the way they should have, they're racist thoughts, thinking 'here's a black fella off the streets looking for painkillers' and judge him that way. They released him after those 19hrs still in pain, treated him for constipation, told him to go home and drink water. He didn't even last 24hrs. Died from two perforated ulcers that tore his stomach lining and bowel wall, he was in a world of pain in his final hours but trusted the hospital staff's directions.

We need an Inquest to have someone held accountable to stop this thing happening to our people in the health system, it's not the first but we want it to be the last, we need your support to get the State Coroner to grant us a Coronial Inquest.

Dougie was a healthy Aboriginal man of 36 with 8 young children and 1 grandson. The staff involved from this NSW hospital should have to explain in the Coroner's court why they didn't treat him properly and AT LEAST give him a scan that would have saved his life.

If we get it granted we have a chance for change, if we don't, our people will continue to die from systemic racism.

Please sign our petition for change!

#JusticeForDougie

Ricky HampsonPetition starter

Media enquiries

Confirmed victory

This petition made change with 13,660 supporters!

The issue

If we get it granted we have a chance for change, if we don't, our people will continue to die from systemic racism.

Please sign our petition for change!

#JusticeForDougie

Ricky HampsonPetition starter

Media enquiries

Confirmed victory

This petition made change with 13,660 supporters!

Share this petition

The Decision Makers

Sue Higginson,

NSW Greens MLC

Responded

“Dear signers, On behalf of the NSW Greens, I support the calls of Dougie’s family and the 11,000 signatories of this petition, to establish a Coronial Inquest into his tragic death. The Coroner’s finding will establish the facts and can make recommendations to public authorities with the aim of preventing similar deaths in the future. Only through examining the brutal and sad truths of what went wrong, can there be justice and prevention, so that this won't keep happening. We must end the prejudice, bias and racism within the health and justice systems - and it is the Government's job to do this by listening to those who have experienced it. I have written the following letter to the NSW Attorney General, with the hope that it will help ensure a fair outcome for Dougie’s family: Dear Attorney General, I write to you today on behalf of the family and community of Ricky “Dougie” Hampson Jr. as well as the more than 10,500 signatories of a petition requesting a Coronial Inquest into his death last year. It has been almost 6 months since Dougie’s family first made their request for a coronial inquest into his death. Dougie presented to the Dubbo Hospital with severe stomach pain, a highly elevated heart rate and reported a popping and tearing sensation in his stomach. Dougie did not receive a scan or x-ray to diagnose what was wrong with him. He was instead sedated with opioids to remove the acute pain before being discharged with an instruction to drink water. Hours after his discharge Dougie was pronounced dead from two perforated ulcers that had torn his stomach lining and bowel wall. The death of anyone from a preventable cause is devastating but this father of 8 is a double tragedy because he did everything that he was supposed to do as a critically ill patient only to be discharged without appropriate treatment. We know from the 2021 coronial inquest into the death of 27-year-old Wiradjuri woman Naomi Williams that prejudice and implicit bias against her led to the inadequacy of her care. It is deeply disturbing that despite this warning sign, Dougie faced similar treatment at the hands of NSW Health. It is unacceptable that anyone receives a substandard level of care in NSW Hospitals and it is an indictment of our treatment and prejudice against First Nations people that they continue to die from preventable disease just hours after being discharged from hospital. The family of Dougie deserve justice and NSW Health needs this inquest to establish the facts behind this tragic occurrence. I urge you to consider this matter with the highest urgency as the ongoing hurt that is being caused to Dougie’s family and community is severe and must be remedied. [END LETTER]”

Sue Higginson

NSW Greens MLC

Responded