BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A press release issued by the Police Force on Thursday (Nov. 26) had indicated that an autopsy womanwas performed on the body of 32-year-old Rochelle Bennett, alias ‘Boom Boo’ of George Street, Newtown.
The release stated that the autopsy was conducted on November 25 by Resident Pathologist Dr. Adrian Nunez and it concluded that death was as a result of Severe Cerebral Edema, Right Hemorrhagic Brain Infection due to Acute Drug Intoxication (Marijuana).
The findings of that autopsy are described as swelling on the right side of the brain due to acute drug intoxication.
However, an updated release was issued today (Nov. 28), which states: “The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force wishes to inform the public that the previously issued autopsy findings did not include the full toxicology report and only that which was available at the time of the release. We wish to apologise for its premature dissemination.”
It also states: “Death according to the Resident Pathologist, Dr. Nunez, was as a result of Severe Cerebral Edema, Right Hemorrhagic Brain Infarction due to Acute Drug Intoxication. The drugs found in elevated levels in her system were Marijuana and Cocaine. No foul play is suspected.”
Both releases on the autopsy report however did not clarify the position initially reported to the media by the police that the matter is being treated as a homicide.
In a media statement on Monday (Nov. 23), police disclosed that “she had a number of wounds about her body”. But, as mentioned above, the latest release states that the autopsy report concluded that “No foul play is suspected”.
Law enforcement sources had indicated that the body bore signs of injuries that were consistent with a beating.
And in its statement on the preliminary investigation, the Police Force said that “some time after 4:00 p.m. on November 22, Beat and Patrol reported to the Criminal Investigation Department that a woman was found unconscious on the sidewalk along the Newtown Bay Road in the vicinity of the T-junction at the end of Sandown Road”.
She was transported to the JNF General Hospital via the Emergency Medical Service ambulance where she died late last night.
