Court grants Chrisland School permission to review autopsy on 12-year-old student

The Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State, has granted Chrisland High School permission to conduct an independent evaluation of the autopsy on Whitney Adeniran, a 12-year-old student who died on February 9 during the school’s inter-house sports competition.

The inter-house sports competition took place at the Agege Stadium, Lagos State.

The Lagos State Government had, on February 13, ordered a coroner’s inquest into the cause of the student’s death.

On March 2, the state government announced that the report of an autopsy conducted on the student showed that she died as a result of Asphxia/electrocution.

On Monday, April 3, 2023, the school filed an application seeking  to have access to some items from the chief medical examiner of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) or any relevant officer, to enable the school to consult an independent pathologist.

The items sought include the student’s skin sample, slides from which the diagnosis of electrocution was made, and samples of urine, blood and other body fluids collected for the autopsy.

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The school also applied to have access to samples of bone and muscle taken from the deceased.

It also applied to be given all photographs taken during the conduct of the authopsy, copies of all histology slides reported as part of the post mortem examination.

The school also requested to be given any other samples and documents made in course of the autopsy.

It equally sought to have access to results of all toxicology test conducted on the late student.

The Lagos  State counsel, Akin George, however, did not oppose the application.

The coroner had adjourned the case until Tuesday to rule on the application.

When the matter came up on Tuesday, the coroner, Olabisi Fajana, granted the application.

She ordered that the chief medical examiner of LASUTH should supply all the items to the applicant’s pathologist’s laboratory on the day of forensic consultation.

The coroner also ordered that the consultation should be under the supervision of the chief medical examiner of LASUTH or a relevant officer.

Others to be present at the consultation include the parents of the deceased.

The couple will also testify on April 17, 2023, at the inquest taking place at the Magistrates’ Court.

The Star