On one occasion, a visiting psychologist assessed a man with a history of trauma and torture who had spent more than 900 days in detention. The man was suffering chronic post traumatic stress disorder, major depression, extreme loss of hope and had had suicidal thoughts.
On the 26th of August in 2014, Maurice Blackburn law firm filed action in the Supreme Court of Victoria claiming negligence in providing health care for detainees on Christmas Island against the Australian Government. It was on behalf of a six year old girl who claimed to have developed a dental infection, stammer, separation anxiety and had begun wetting her bed while being detained on Christmas Island for over a year.
Guards reported multiple cases of horrible experiences on the island. One guard described the horror of pulling drowned babies from the water. Another had boiling water thrown over their face and body leaving permanent mental and physical scars. A female guard was reportedly showering when the whole roof collapsed on her due to it rotting because of dampness.
On the 15th of December 2015, a boat sank off the coast of Christmas Island after colliding with rocks north of Flying Fish Cove. It was carrying 90 asylum seekers of mostly Iraq and Iran heritage. 48 people were killed and 42 were rescued.
Drawings by people in detention at the centre:
"They are crying all day long … tortured by sadness. Take the children out and keep us in." - Parent of three children, Construction Camp Detention Centre, Christmas Island, March 2, 2014.
"I am a bird in a cage." - 14-year-old girl, Christmas Island Detention Centre, July 15, 2014.
"My hope finished now. I don't have any hope. I feel I will die in detention." - Unaccompanied 17-year-old, Phosphate Hill Detention Centre, Christmas Island, March 4, 2014.
"I feel like I'm in jail. No one here to help us, it's just me and God." - 17-year-old unaccompanied child, Christmas Island Detention Centre, July 16, 2014.