Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Conflicting professional views on Daniel Guerra's cause of death; case still "unclassified"

A third autopsy has revealed that eight-year-old Daniel Guerra's death was caused by "homicidal asphyxia".

American foreinsic patologist Dr James Gill was brought in by government for the examination of the body after two previous autopsies showed conflicting causes of death.

The first, by government pathologists Dr Valerie Alexandrov and Dr Eslyn McDonald-Burris, revealed that death was by drowining. The Guerra family was not pleased with that and had a private examination done, which said Daniel was strangled.

That caused police investigators to stop Daniel's funeral on Saturday.

However so far the case remains "unclassified" according to the the head of homicide, Senior Superintendent Wayne Dick. 

He told the media that he has heard that asphyxia was the cause of death and that is consistent with the findings of the first autopsy.

Gill conducted his examination at the San Fernando General Hospital and also went to the river where the child's body was found and took samples of soil and water.

The medical personnel who performed the first autopsy are standing by their findings. They told the Express newspaper they saw no signs to suggests that the boy had been strangled or physically harmed. 

Alexandrov said the autopsy performed at the Forensic Science Centre last Friday was a team effort due to the sensitivity of the case. 

"We did it together to ensure if one missed something, the other would be able to pick it up. We examined and x-rayed every part of the child's body because we wanted to ensure that we did a thorough post mortem since the matter was a very high-profile one," Alexandrov said.

He said if Guerra was in fact strangled, there would have been certain marks around his neck and symptoms in his eyes.

"His body was perfectly clean. His eyes were also clean and there was no type of haemorrhaging. Strangulation would have developed certain symptoms, but there were none. We were going deeper and deeper and deeper, but we found nothing to suggest he died of any other cause but drowning."

Alexandrov, who has worked for the United Nations in genocide cases, said he disagrees with the findings that suggest that the child was physically harmed. "While he was in the water he was alive. If he was placed in the water dead he could not have inhaled water in the ears because dead people don't breathe,"

Alexandrov insisted that death was by drowining but admitted that it does not mean death was accidental.
 
The police has a job to produce the evidence and prove their case. However, I am 1,000 per cent sure that the boy drowned and the police would have to investigate the circumstances which led to his drowning.

"People are trying to put the responsibility on our shoulders, but we are doctors not police investigators and there is only so much we could do," he said, adding that 15 people witnessed the autopsy.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told reporters Monday the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the police will determine the next move.

"It is not for me to see the reports or to judge them. I have no medical expertise, it will be done by the homicide police and the DPP in terms of what happens with that," Persad-Bissessar.

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Jai & Sero

Jai & Sero

Our family at home in Toronto 2008

Our family at home in Toronto 2008
Amit, Heather, Fuzz, Aj, Jiv, Shiva, Rampa, Sero, Jai