The Police watchdog's found failings in the care of an Auckland 24-year-old who died in custody, accused of a stabbing

Mitchell Lam was detained in 2023, over an attack on shopkeepers in a New Windsor Dairy that left one requiring brain surgery.

Lam was found unresponsive in his cell as a result of self harm the next day, and died in hospital.

The IPCA's found officers didn't physically enter his cell, which was out of line with policy on welfare checks, and would have reduced the risk of self harm.

Police accept the findings, and say they investigated - and reviewed prisoner checks.