Jasher’s funeral on Saturday

Sascha Wilson

Senior Reporter

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The parents of Jasher Francois have confirmed that his funeral will proceed on Saturday, despite Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s suggestion that a third autopsy may be necessary.

Speaking to reporters at the Southern Academy for Performing Arts (SAPA) on Tuesday, Persad-Bissessar said two post-mortem reports have already been completed, but further examination may be necessary.

“He told me there were two post-mortem reports. We will have to mesh the two together and maybe get a third opinion to come up with what really went wrong. I don’t want to pronounce on it until that investigation is complete,” Persad-Bissessar said.

The Prime Minister indicated that she had not yet spoken with the bereaved parents and did not confirm whether she would attend the funeral.

Contacted via WhatsApp Messenger, his parents, Aaron and Yhnique Francois, yesterday said, “Regrettably, I wouldn’t be making any further statements publicly or to the media at this point in time. This has been a very challenging time for us and my son will be laid to rest on Saturday.”

Jasher’s funeral will be held at JE Guide Funeral Home and Crematorium at Coffee Street in San Fernando. The couple has another son, a year older than Jasher, and in a previous interview, Yhnique had stated she would often refer to her family as the “awesome foursome.”

They have insisted that Jasher was healthy apart from a persistent cough.

He was admitted to the San Fernando Teaching Hospital after midnight last Thursday and diagnosed with a chest infection. Due to his oxygen level being in the 90s, he was being administered oxygen and given nebulizer treatments.

“There was no alarm, no anxiety, or anything that said your child is in critical condition and he may die. There was nothing like that,” Jasher’s mother had recalled tearfully. Shortly after a nurse gave him medication—magnesium sulphate—intraveneously, the parents said Jasher began reacting adversely, complaining that his arm was burning. He vomited, slipped into unconsciousness, and died shortly after.

Since then, there have been two conflicting autopsy reports. The first, conducted at the San Fernando General Hospital mortuary, listed his cause of death as aspiration pneumonitis. A second autopsy, performed by Professor Dr Hubert Daisley, concluded that Jasher had an adverse reaction to the intravenous medication, which ultimately led to his death.

On the Prime Minister’s instructions, Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe has since commissioned a probe into the child’s death, comprising a consultant paediatrician, a registered nurse, a former North West Regional Health Authority CEO, and a paediatric intensive care specialist. The probe is expected to be completed by August 20.