A dispute between the pathologists at San Fernando mortuary and the Forensic Science Centre (FSC) about where the autopsy of Daren Mohammed should be done has left relatives and investigators in a quandary.
Guardian Media understands that forensic pathologist Dr. Hubert Daisley has since requested the intervention of a coroner to decide where the autopsy should be done.
Police said Mohammed’s wife reported that she found him dead around 12.05 am on October 15 at their Glod Road, Tabaquite home.
There were no marks of violence on his body. A district medical officer viewed the body and ordered its removal. He lived with his wife and 13-year-old daughter.
Believing that it was a natural death, the pathologist began the autopsy at the San Fernando mortuary last Wednesday but stopped after he observed something suspicious and sent the body to FSC.
However, reliable sources said the forensic pathologist refused to reopen the body because he felt a full autopsy was already performed.
The body was sent back to the mortuary where it was up to yesterday.
Without the post mortem result, the police cannot move forward with their investigation as they don’t know whether or not foul play was involved. Meanwhile, this situation has further traumatised his family as they await closure.
“This is not fair to have us to have to be waiting so long. Is 13 days now,” said Mohammed’s eldest sister Michelle. She said they got word of her brother’s passing after 1 o’clock on October 15.
She said Mohammed turned 40 in March and worked as a wholesaler at the Macoya Market.
“He was healthy, nothing was wrong with him,” she said. Michelle said they went to the mortuary last Wednesday and then to the FSC on Friday.
“We spent almost the entire day in both places. This should not have happened. We were told that this was the first time that something like this happened, but it is not fair to us,” she said. However, Michelle said they went to the police station yesterday and was told that the autopsy should be done today,” she said.
