BY GARFIELD MYERS Editor-at-Large South/Central Bureau myersg@jamaicaobserver.com Monday, May 11, 2015
SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth -- Jamaica's chronic shortage of pathologists is badly affecting police investigations in south central Jamaica.
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| Spence’s remains have been in morgue freezers similar to this one for three months, as there is no one to claim them. |
Authoritative police sources say investigators often have to wait weeks before getting the results of autopsies, leaving them virtually helpless as they seek to probe suspicious deaths.
Police say a classic case involves the death of 23-month-old Jaydeen Myers of Grosmond, Braes River, three miles north-east of Santa Cruz.
Jaydeen's lifeless body was found stuffed head first in a barrel containing food and clothes on April 18.
Reports at the time said the toddler had gone missing earlier when her mother, who was preparing to give her a bath, was distracted by other children.
Persistent efforts by the Jamaica Observer to get word from the police on the latest involving the mysterious death have proven futile since investigators say they have to await the autopsy report before determining their next step.
Sources say that the backlog of delayed autopsies goes back even further. Apparently, the root of the problem is that there is currently only one pathologist serving St Elizabeth, Manchester and Clarendon.
Checks with the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), brought the surprising response that the agency which has responsibility for the three south central parishes was unaware the police had a problem.
Two directors with whom the Observer spoke by telephone said they had received no complaints while noting that shortage of pathologists was a longstanding problem.
In a formal e-mailed response to the Observer's queries on Friday, the SRHA's public relations department said the situation was being investigated but that there had been no "confirmations". more
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