Parents Challenge Autopsy After Son’s Sudden Death in Hospital

In a deeply troubling case, the parents of six-year-old Jasher François are contesting the autopsy results that attributed their son’s sudden death to aspiration pneumonitis caused by viral pneumonia. Jasher passed away unexpectedly at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital, where he was receiving treatment for a cough. His parents, Aaron and Yhnique François, assert that their son was responsive just moments before his condition deteriorated following an intravenous administration of magnesium sulphate. They allege that he vomited during this treatment, raising concerns that he may have inhaled the vomit, leading to the lung condition noted in the autopsy report. In response to their concerns, the family has arranged for a second autopsy to take place on Saturday and is advocating for a thorough independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding their son’s death. The Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has ordered an urgent inquiry into the incident, while the South-West Regional Health Authority has initiated a formal review and is offering counseling support to the grieving family.