The family of Selesa Tafaifa has called for accountability during the second week of the inquest into her death in custody.

Ms Tafaifa, a 44-year-old Samoan Australian, died on 30 November 2021 in Townsville Women's Correctional Centre while restrained with a spit hood and cuffs, following an unsuccessful attempt at a phone call from the prison in order to reach her family. She cried out that she could not breathe before becoming unresponsive. Ms Tafaifa's family traveled from Samoa and Aotearoa/New Zealand to attend the inquest seeking answers and justice.

On Wednesday the family released a statement on the inquest proceedings to date.

"In the second week of the inquest into our mum and sister Selesa Tafaifa's death, the court was shown footage of her restrained on the floor with a spit hood placed over her head by prison officers. One officer is recorded saying 'we're suffocating her.'," the family said.

"We know that Selesa said multiple times that she couldn't breathe. The pathology and emergency medicine experts who gave evidence agreed that she was no longer conscious and in cardiac arrest. Selesa was denied any chance of survival, and she was afforded no humanity. She lay hooded in her cell alone for 96 seconds without medical attention. We never had the chance to comfort her and she did not receive the care she deserved.

"This inquest is expected to next sit in April 2024. We say that justice delayed is justice denied. We say that the Queensland government must urgently ban spit hoods by law so that no one else will go through the same grief as us — and the compounding grief of having to endure a gut wrenching inquest as we have been made to. We demand accountability, and we deserve answers and justice, just as Selesa Tafaifa deserved the care, humanity and love that she showed others."

At a pre-inquest hearing in February, barrister Dan O'Gorman, representing Ms Tafaifa's family, said the CCTV footage of her death showed the her saying "I can't breathe" four times and pleading for her asthma puffer six times.

A Queensland government spokesperson told National Indigenous Times the use of spit hoods was discussed as part of the Standing Council of Attorneys-General (SCAG) last month. "All states and territories, including Queensland, agreed to review the remaining use of spit hoods in their jurisdictions," they said.