Warning; this story contains the name and image of a person who has died.

It has been alleged an officer on duty at Western Australia's Unit 18 juvenile detention centre was asleep at the time 16-year-old Cleveland Dodd took his own life.

"Several highly placed prison sources" have claimed one of the guards was asleep when prison staff became aware of the serious risk to Cleveland's wellbeing, The West Australian reports.

It comes as the WA Department of Justice confirmed a "staff member" has been suspended pending the outcome of an internal inquiry focusing on the teenager's death.

According to The West Australian, the time it took guards to check on the teenager after concerns for his welfare were raised is part of the ongoing investigation.

"A staff member has been suspended from duty pending the outcome of a departmental inquiry," a Department of Justice spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"The department won't comment on specific matters under investigation."

Cleveland was found unresponsive in his Unit 18 cell in the early hours of 12 October.

After spending a week on life support, he died in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on Thursday.

Following his death, Amnesty International Australia said WA Premier Roger Cook and Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia "ignored repeated warnings" that the children incarcerated at Unit 18 experience "intolerable levels of distress, putting their safety at risk".

Western Australian Corrective Services Minister, Paul Papalia, said at a press conference Cleveland had contacted guards in the control room via his in-cell intercom, leaving them "concerned".

"It was only a matter of minutes from that moment that he was checked and found to be unresponsive and the officer commenced resuscitation," Mr Papalia said.

However in a statement released by Western Australia's Department of Justice around the same time as Mr Papalia's press conference made no mention of communication between Cleveland and prison guards via in-cell intercom, instead stating the teenager was found "during routine night checks around 2am".

It has been confirmed that a triple-0 call in relation to the incident was received by St John WA at 1:55am.

According to The West, multiple sources suggest Mr Papalia was correct however questions remain about the delay between Cleveland contacting prison staff and guards entering his cell.

The control room is just metres from Unit 18's cells.

Yet to be substantiated allegations suggest one officer was asleep and required to be woken at the time concerns were raised about Cleveland's welfare, delaying the opening of his cell.

A minimum of two officers are required to be present when opening a Unit 18 cell, as per corrective services guidelines.

Both Mr Papalia and the union representing youth custodial officers employed at Unit 18, the CPSU/CSA are yet to comment in response to the allegations.

There have been at least 20 attempted suicides at Unit 18 since detainees from the notorious Banksia Hill Youth Detention Centre began being housed at the facility in mid-2022.