Post-mortem stalled for Jodian Fearon

Livern Barrett, Senior Gleaner Reporter 

The post-mortem scheduled for today to help determine the cause of death of first-time mom Jodian Fearon has been stalled, the pathologist hired by her family has revealed.

The procedure was set to take place at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

But, according to Dr Jephthah Ford, it was put on hold after police investigators showed up without Fearon’s medical files from the UHWI, Andrews Memorial, Spanish Town and the Victoria Jubilee hospitals.

“All of us doctors here, we are agreed that we need the files to proceed,” Ford said.

He said the management of the UHWI has been cooperative and he expects that its files for Fearon “will be made available shortly.”

Ford sought to underscore that it was critical for the files to be presented quickly.

“The longer we delay the body, the greater the changes that occur in the body. We can’t afford to stay around while they play games,” he fumed.

“The police have not been doing their work. They are supposed to present, at post-mortem, all the dockets and notes relating to this patient so we can, before we proceed to cut the body, be guided as to what we are doing on this young lady,” Ford told The Gleaner a short time ago.

He said a senior police officer has since deployed a team of detectives to retrieve Fearon’s medical files from the Andrews, Spanish Town and Victoria Jubilee hospitals.

Ford indicated, however, that the post-mortem could go ahead without the files from the Victoria Jubilee Hospital as they may present “special problems” to access.

According to the doctor, he and members of Fearon’s family are hopeful that the post-mortem can be conducted today and will make themselves available to facilitate the process.

“As soon as the files are available, no matter what time, we proceed to the post-mortem immediately,” he insisted.

Fearon died at the UHWI under controversial circumstances on the weekend hours after delivering her baby.

She was earlier refused admission to the UWHI and Victoria Jubilee after having to leave the privately operated Andrews Memorial Hospital where she had spent one day on a ward. 

READ: Boyfriend of late Jodian Fearon in anguish

READ: Hospitals, doctors trade blame as delivering mother dies amid COVID chaos

READ: MOH complying with police probe into death of Jodian Fearon - Tufton

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