KOTA KINABALU: The doctors who first attended to Zara Qairina Mahathir when she was brought to Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) on July 16 did not notice any signs of abuse on her body.
HQE medical officer Dr Janefer Voo told the Coroner’s Court here she was the first to respond to the case at 4.38am, followed by other members of the emergency unit.
She said the first noticeable injuries were on the back of Zara’s head, including swelling and bleeding, an open fracture on her left ankle, and a closed fracture on her right ankle.
She said a trauma alert was activated at 4.42am, followed by resuscitation procedures.
Dr Voo suspected severe traumatic brain injury, as well as injuries to the back of the patient’s head, broken bones in both legs and the left wrist, and believed there were also internal injuries.
In her witness statement, she mentioned that due to the patient’s severe low blood pressure, internal injuries were suspected, likely caused by high impact trauma leading to internal bleeding.
She said further inspection found no signs of bruises or abuse on the body, only injuries to the back of her head and broken bones on her left hand and both ankles at that time.
Dr Voo said the emergency and trauma team at HQE did all they could according to trauma protocols to resuscitate and stabilise the 13-year-old.
She also told the court that when Zara arrived at the emergency and trauma unit at 4.38am on July 16, she was unconscious.
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