… says first autopsy poorly done

A pathologist with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) on Tuesday told Mikhail Kadiri, a coroner, that Sylvester Oromoni would have survived if he was treated with a “massive dose of antibiotics,” intravenous fluid, and blood transfusion.

Sunday Soyemi, the pathologist, spoke during a coroner’s inquest in Lagos that the autopsy he carried out on the deceased indicated a “generalized infection.”

Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, has been in the eye of the storm since the death of Oromoni Jnr, a 12-year-old student.

The deceased’s father had alleged that his child was beaten and forced by some senior students to drink a liquid that killed him.

But the school denied the claim, alleging that he sustained injuries while playing football with his mates.

He said the deceased’s medical condition was not a “terminal illness.”

However, Mr Soyemi said the medical condition could lead to death if not properly treated, adding that the “mortality rate is high.”

Autopsy Findings
Mr Soyemi shared some “sensitive” pictures of the autopsy conducted on the deceased.

One of the photos had the picture of the deceased and his name tag, another showed an incision made in the chest area.

A few others showed a vertical mark on the chin (post mortem injury), “a recent external circular injury on the right ankle,” reddening on the lower part of the two legs (this shows that the embalming fluid did not get to that part of his body), and the white brain shows that there is not enough blood in the body.

Mr Soyemi said that they checked and did not find “a single skeletal injury.”

“Prior to the conduct of autopsy, I did a total body radiograph to rule out any skeletal injury, that is, fracture, none was found. And the radiologist confirmed there was no fracture,” he said.

Earlier during the hearing, Mr Soyemi described the first autopsy as “botched.”

In the first autopsy carried out in Delta State, the pathologist, Clement Vhirterhire said the 12 years old died from “acute lung injury due to chemical intoxication.”

Mr Soyemi said before he started the autopsy, the doctor who conducted the first one was in attendance.

“And was in attendance throughout,” he emphasised.

“So, I observed that the autopsy was not properly done. All that was not properly done are documented in my statement.

“For example, at the first autopsy, the pathologist never opened the oesophagus, the oesophagus is the food pipe. He also did not open the trachea, it is the air path through which we breathe.

“These are vital things that he should have not missed out.

“He (the first pathologist) concluded his report as chemical intoxication. For one to be intoxicated with chemicals, that chemical has to pass through the oesophagus, that is the food path. If one has not opened the food path, he cannot talk about chemical intoxication.”

… says first autopsy poorly done

A pathologist with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) on Tuesday told Mikhail Kadiri, a coroner, that Sylvester Oromoni would have survived if he was treated with a “massive dose of antibiotics,” intravenous fluid, and blood transfusion.

Sunday Soyemi, the pathologist, spoke during a coroner’s inquest in Lagos that the autopsy he carried out on the deceased indicated a “generalized infection.”

Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, has been in the eye of the storm since the death of Oromoni Jnr, a 12-year-old student.

The deceased’s father had alleged that his child was beaten and forced by some senior students to drink a liquid that killed him.

But the school denied the claim, alleging that he sustained injuries while playing football with his mates.

He said the deceased’s medical condition was not a “terminal illness.”

However, Mr Soyemi said the medical condition could lead to death if not properly treated, adding that the “mortality rate is high.”

Autopsy Findings
Mr Soyemi shared some “sensitive” pictures of the autopsy conducted on the deceased.

One of the photos had the picture of the deceased and his name tag, another showed an incision made in the chest area.

A few others showed a vertical mark on the chin (post mortem injury), “a recent external circular injury on the right ankle,” reddening on the lower part of the two legs (this shows that the embalming fluid did not get to that part of his body), and the white brain shows that there is not enough blood in the body.

Mr Soyemi said that they checked and did not find “a single skeletal injury.”

“Prior to the conduct of autopsy, I did a total body radiograph to rule out any skeletal injury, that is, fracture, none was found. And the radiologist confirmed there was no fracture,” he said.

Earlier during the hearing, Mr Soyemi described the first autopsy as “botched.”

In the first autopsy carried out in Delta State, the pathologist, Clement Vhirterhire said the 12 years old died from “acute lung injury due to chemical intoxication.”

Mr Soyemi said before he started the autopsy, the doctor who conducted the first one was in attendance.

“And was in attendance throughout,” he emphasised.

“So, I observed that the autopsy was not properly done. All that was not properly done are documented in my statement.

“For example, at the first autopsy, the pathologist never opened the oesophagus, the oesophagus is the food pipe. He also did not open the trachea, it is the air path through which we breathe.

“These are vital things that he should have not missed out.

“He (the first pathologist) concluded his report as chemical intoxication. For one to be intoxicated with chemicals, that chemical has to pass through the oesophagus, that is the food path. If one has not opened the food path, he cannot talk about chemical intoxication.”