The Northern Territory’s peak Aboriginal legal service has called for an independent investigation after a 44-year-old Aboriginal mother of five died at the Tennant Creek watch house last Saturday.

NT police said her death appeared to be the result of a medical episode inside her cell on 27 December, after she was arrested on Christmas Day for an alleged aggravated assault.

The NT police’s major crime unit is now investigating, with oversight from the force’s professional standards command.

On Friday the chief executive of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), Ben Grimes, said an internal investigation did not give the family, or the wider Aboriginal community, confidence of a fair outcome.

“NAAJA’s longstanding view is that internal police investigations following an Aboriginal death in custody are not sufficient to ensure accountability or public confidence,” he said.

“Aboriginal families and communities have repeatedly said they do not trust a system where police are effectively investigating themselves after a death. Independent, transparent investigations are critical not only to uncovering the truth, but also to maintaining community trust and preventing future deaths.

“Without genuine independence, the cycle of harm, mistrust and unanswered questions will continue.”

NT police’s acting assistant commissioner, Peter Malley, said the woman’s death was being treated seriously.

“Police take any death in custody incredibly seriously and the Crime Command are currently in Tennant Creek investigating, with oversight from both the Professional Standards and Cultural Reform Commands,” he said.

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“At this stage, it appears the woman has suffered a medical incident.”

A postmortem was due to take place on Friday but the findings are yet to be released.

At a media conference the day after the woman’s death, Malley said he had “no issues” with police investigating police when it came to an Aboriginal death.

“We investigate our own all the time. We’re very good at it, and people talk about conflicts all the time but we’re legislated to do it and we do it very well,” he said.

The Country Liberal party MP Steve Edgington, whose Barkly electorate includes Tennant Creek, said his thoughts were with the woman’s family and loved ones, and the matter was subject to a full and thorough investigation by the police and the coroner.

It is understood the woman suffered from rheumatic heart disease, a condition that disproportionately affects Indigenous Australians.

Unlike police watch houses in Alice Springs, Palmerston and Darwin, the Tennant Creek watch house does not have an on-duty custody nurse, which was a recommendation from the coronial inquiry after the 2012 death of an Aboriginal man in Alice Springs.

Custody nurses are able to check detainees’ medical records and conduct health assessments. NT police said an “in depth” health assessment was conducted on the woman by an on-duty officer, and that she was “deemed fit for custody”.

In a statement on Friday, NT police said the question of whether an Aboriginal person had any underlying health issues also formed part of the health assessment.

“When admitted to Tennant Creek Watchhouse, all individuals undergo a police health assessment. She was deemed fit for custody and officers saw no sign of injuries,” a spokesperson said.

“The Tennant Creek Watchhouse does not have a custody nurse position. All those arrested and admitted to the watchhouse in Tennant Creek undergo a police health assessment.

“The 44-year-old was found unresponsive during a cell check at 1.03pm [on Saturday 27 December]. CPR was immediately conducted by police until the arrival of an ambulance a short time later. She was pronounced deceased at the Tennant Creek Hospital.”

Of 113 deaths in custody recorded in 2024-25, 33 were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – the highest number of Indigenous deaths in custody in a 12-month span since 1979.

• Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for information and crisis support; or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline on 1300 789 978 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636