The New South Wales coroner says the state has hit a grim milestone with First Nations deaths in custody reaching record levels. 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in custody in the state this year, the highest number ever recorded in a single year. The distressing figures have prompted the state coroner to issue a rare public statement, condemning the deaths and vowing to investigate each one independently and thoroughly.

For most people, introductions are a fleeting formality, an exchange of names accomplished in seconds. However, for Laurence Watkins, this simple task becomes an extraordinary feat of endurance.