The Corrections Department has admitted "serious issues" with staff conduct on the night a woman died in her cell after prison guards failed to check on her.
Anna Selina Kingi, 41, of Napier, died in the Auckland Region Women's Correction Facility in November 2008, while being held on remand before sentencing on charges of theft and dishonesty.
Mrs Kingi died of an undiagnosed heart condition. Before dying she rang her cell alarm but the guard on duty was too busy to respond. Mrs Kingi's body was discovered more than an hour later.
In a statement released to Hawke's Bay Today yesterday, Department of Corrections northern region commissioner Jeanette Burns said the department had met family representatives on several occasions and had "apologised unreservedly" for aspects of Mrs Kingi's death in custody.
"The department has addressed the family representatives' concerns to their satisfaction and neither party will be making any further comment to the media," Mrs Burns said.