Father wants second autopsy after son’s intestines are believed to be missing

A Lagos father on Friday asked the coroner in charge of the inquest into the death of his 12-year-old son to order a second autopsy into the child’s death.

The child died on September 9 after a corrective surgery at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

His small intestine was reported missing, prompting an early autopsy and coroner’s autopsy.

The inquest will be presided over by the Chief Justice, Mrs Bora Folarin-Williams, District Coroner.

The bereaved father’s lawyer, Mr Ebun Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), on Friday filed an application in court asking for a second autopsy by an independent pathologist.

He submitted that he was not satisfied with the initial autopsy carried out as the deceased’s father was not present and did not know when it was carried out.

Mr Adegboruwa appealed to the coroner to order a second autopsy and said he had written a letter to the Nigerian Medical Association regarding the autopsy.

He also appealed that the Lagos State government should offset the cost of autopsy and mortuary of the deceased as his parents are indigenes of the state.

In response, Akin George, a lawyer for the Lagos State government, argued that the state government should not be forced to pay for the second autopsy.

He submitted that the Lagos State Government continued to pay for the morgue and also paid for the initial autopsy.

After hearing the submissions, the coroner ordered an immediate and independent autopsy of the deceased to allow for burial and adjourned a further inquest to December 15.

Source: guardian.ng