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Jasher Francois - THE father of six-year-old Jasher Francois, who died at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital on August 7 after being treated for a persistent cough, said an independent autopsy has confirmed his suspicions over the cause of death.
In a telephone interview on April 10, Aaron Francois said the autopsy took place earlier that day.
The autopsy was supposed to have taken place on August 9.
"What I can say is that the findings of this second independent autopsy vindicates my initial suspicions without a shadow of a doubt...without a shadow of a doubt."
Francois did not say what those findings were.
But he said, "When I have the official report, we will send it out to the media houses."
Francois was hopeful he would get the report on August 11.
"I don't want to talk out of my mouth. I want the report to speak for itself."
Francois said, "It has put me on a path...a step in the right direction."
He added the family's focus is now on laying Jasher to rest.
Jasher's funeral is scheduled to take place at the Baptists' Ambassadors for Christ Church, St John's Village, San Fernando, at 11 am on August 16.
Jasher was taken to the San Fernando Teaching Hospital on August 6, three days after developing a persistent cough.
He died there a day later.
The family said Jasher was alert and responsive at the hospital, but when he was administered magnesium sulphate intravenously, he began to vomit and complain that it was burning his hand.
They said the treatment was paused but after a nurse consulted with a doctor, they were told that the medication could cause brief discomfort for some children, and it was resumed.
He continued to vomit and was later found unresponsive. His family thought he had fallen asleep.
The Francois family commissioned a second autopsy for Jasher after they were not satisfied with the results of the first autopsy, which concluded that he died from aspiration pneumonitis – a condition caused by inhaling sterile gastric contents, like stomach acid.
In a video on her Facebook page on August 8, Jasher’s mother Yhnique called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Health Minister Lackram Bodoe for a thorough investigation and an independent autopsy into the tragedy.
A subsequent statement from the Health Ministry said, “The Minister of Health...has taken immediate steps to initiate the investigation, to ensure that all relevant facts are gathered swiftly and transparently.”
The family said they also received a call from Bodoe after posting the video.
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