KOTA KINABALU, Sept 3 — A forensic pathologist told the inquest today that student Zara Qairina Mahathir’s injuries were consistent with a fall from height, but said it was unlikely she was pushed or accidentally fell while standing on the third-floor corridor.
Dr Jessie Hiu, the first witness to testify, said her site examination found that the corridor’s concrete rail and metal bar on top measured almost three-quarters of Zara’s height, making it improbable she toppled from a standing position beside the railing.
“Based on the height and width of the concrete railing, the height of the horizontal metal rails and the deceased’s antemortem height, it is possible for her to climb onto the concrete railing, cross over the metal rails and stand on top of the concrete railing,” she said in her statement.
Hiu was among the pathologists who conducted the post-mortem after Zara’s body was exhumed on August 10.
After detailing the extent of her injuries, Hiu said their distribution was consistent with a fall.
“Reconstruction based on the injuries indicates that the deceased landed on her left foot, followed closely by the right, resulting in more severe injuries to the left heel and leg bones (comminuted fracture of the left calcaneum, comminuted fracture and oblique fracture of the distal left tibia).
“Following the impact, she fell backward, predominantly onto her left side, sustaining injuries to her left wrist, left forearm, left elbow and the back of her head.
“The force generated upon landing on her lower limbs was transmitted upward, leading to fractures of the fourth to the second lumbar vertebrae associated with psoas muscle haematoma and a localised retroperitoneal pelvic tissue haematoma,” she said.
The court was shown autopsy photos from the exhumation.
On July 16, Zara was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 4.38am in critical condition with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3/15, indicating severe brain injury.
“She was unconscious. A trauma alert was activated at 4.42am. She was assessed and managed by multidisciplinary teams.
“Clinical examination, CT scans and radiographs revealed a scalp haematoma at the vertex, intracranial bleeding with brain swelling, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, fracture of the distal left radius, dislocation of the left wrist joint, bilateral comminuted fracture of the distal tibia, an open wound on the left ankle, fracture of the distal third of the left tibia, dislocation of the ankle joints, comminuted fracture of the left calcaneum, fracture of the second to fourth lumbar vertebrae, left psoas muscle haematoma and extraperitoneal pelvic tissue haematoma,” she said.
Zara succumbed to severe traumatic brain injury with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy the following day at 1.07pm.
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