Inquest into the Death of Travis Dion BAUMGARTEN
Inquest into the Death of Travis Dion BAUMGARTEN
Delivered on : 27 March 2025
Delivered at : Perth
Finding of : Coroner Hartley
Recommendations : N/A
Orders/Rules : N/A
Suppression Order : N/A
Summary : On 5 December 2022 Travis Dion Baumgarten (Mr Baumgarten) died at Royal Perth Hospital from complications of human immunodeficiency virus infection with terminal Palliative care. At the time of his death Mr Baumgarten was serving a period of imprisonment at Acacia Prison. He was a 48 year old Aboriginal man.
Mr Baumgarten had been diagnosed with HIV in 1994 and his treatment was being managed by the Immunology Department at Royal Perth Hospital while he was in the community. Mr Baumgarten had spent a significant portion of his adult life in custody. When Mr Baumgarten was taken into custody at Greenough Regional Prison in November 2013, he was often failing to take his HIV medicine as prescribed for him as well as refusing to take any medications at all. In 2017 Mr Baumgarten acquired Hepatitis C.
On 2 November 2020 Mr Baumgarten was sentenced to three years and six months in prison. Mr Baumgarten was transferred to Acacia prison due to his medium security rating and for management purposes. On admission to Acacia prison, Mr Baumgarten disclosed that he has refusing blood tests and had refused HIV medication for the previous year. While Mr Baumgarten indicated to the prison nurse that he just wanted to die, but he assured the nurse he had no thoughts of self-harm or suicide. He stated that he was aware HIV complications would end his life and just wanted to let it happen. A plan to review him monthly was formed with risk mitigation strategies implemented including contact sport restrictions.
Mr Baumgarten was deemed to have capacity to make treatment decisions and was fully informed of the consequences of his refusal to accept medical intervention. On 26 November 2022, Mr Baumgarten suffered seizures and was unresponsive. The night nurse called for a priority one ambulance transfer to hospital. Mr Baumgarten was taken to St John of God Hospital Midland where he suffered further seizures. CT scans identified a mass on his right parietal lobe. On 27 November 2022 he was transferred to Royal Perth Hospital and was made a Stage Four Terminally Ill patient.
On 2 December 2022 Mr Baumgarten’s restraints were removed and approval for his family to visit him in hospital was made. Members of Mr Baumgarten’s family took the opportunity over the following days to visit him and he passed away peacefully on 5 December 2022.
Following an external post mortem examination the forensic pathologist formed the opinion that Mr Baumgarten died from complications of human immunodeficiency virus with terminal palliative care. The Coroner found death occurred by way of natural causes.
The Coroner was satisfied Mr Baumgarten received high quality supervision, treatment and care while he was incarcerated.
Catch Words : Death in Custody : Management of medical issues : Supervision Treatment and Care : Natural Causes
Last updated: 7 April 2025