Coroner okays Chrisland’s independent autopsy

The parents of a 12-year-old pupil of Chrisland International School Limited, Whitney Adeniran, who died on February 9, 2023, during the school’s inter-house sports activities at the Agege Sports Stadium, will testify before a Coroner’s Inquest at the Ogba Magistrate’s Court on April 17.

The Coroner Magistrate, Olabisi Fajana, disclosed this on Tuesday when she ruled on the application of the school seeking samples and materials to carry out an independent evaluation of the autopsy report conducted by the Lagos State Government.

This is just as the coroner granted the school’s request to consult an independent pathologist in the bid to ascertain the true cause of the pupil’s death.

The state government had on February 13 ordered a coroner’s inquest to establish the cause of Whitney’s death.

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On March 2, the government announced that the autopsy carried out revealed that Whitney died as a result of Asphyxia and electrocution.

The coroner’s inquest was then fixed for April 4 to commence the hearing.

But on April 3, the school sought an order from the court to be supplied with and have access to some items from the Chief Medical Examiner of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital or a relevant officer to enable the school to consult with an independent pathologist.

The state counsel, Akin George, did not oppose the application and the magistrate adjourned the ruling on the application till April 4.

When the matter came up on Tuesday, Magistrate Fajana granted all the requests of the applicant.

She ordered that the Chief Medical Examiner of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital should supply all the listed items to the applicant’s pathologist’s laboratory on the day of the forensic consultation.

Fajana ordered that the consultation should be under the supervision of the CMD or relevant officer.

Others to be present are the parents of the deceased.

The court also stated that the deceased parents are to testify on April 17.