By: Drizel Hanley
Basseterre, St. Kitts (FEBRUARY 2018): Following two different autopsy reports on the recent death of 23-year-old Shaquille Pemberton of St. Peter’s, father of the deceased well-known business man Nigel Arthurton, in sticking to his belief that his son was killed, has revealed that he will be seeking a second opinion from a renowned forensic pathologist in St. Lucia.
Such sentiments were expressed during a face- to- face interview whereby he expressed his concern and dissatisfaction that two different autopsy results were given by the same pathologist in which the last one contradicts the findings of the first one.
According to a police press release dated Saturday 3rd February, following an autopsy carried out by Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Valery Alexandrov, Pemberton’s death was “due, in part, to acute pulmonary failure due to haemorrhagic viral myocarditis and pneumonia”.
In layman’s term his death was as a result of natural causes.
However, a second police press release issued some three days after (February 6th) disclosed that after reviewing laboratory results in Trinidad, Dr. Alexandrov “is of the view that there are other inconsistencies surrounding the manner (mode) of death that merit further investigation”.
Commenting on the irregularities and inconsistencies of the situation, the distraught father told this media house “…how can someone die from natural causes with a dislocated neck bone? I am not a scholar but common sense will tell you that that is just not adding up…it’s just not adding up! So, I stuck to that from ever since.”
“My thing is, why did the authorities in the first place accept the report that he died from natural causes and now have to spend so much money and feel comfortable with that and now come back with a second findings. Why spend so much money to the individual. I think that he had insulted the whole nation of St. Kitts and Nevis whom he works for…I mean it’s taxpayers money being paid to him. If you are going to come in and do a job, do it properly and don’t give anyone the any reason to assess your professionalism,” the father lamented.
The father explained further that he stuck to his claim that his son did not die from natural causes because of the strange marks that were present on his son’s chest.
“I was told that the marks on his stomach were insect bites. I asked what kind of insects can cause something like that. I understand now that the marks are like stabs, but they did not penetrate. It’s like somebody was digging him with some pointed object. That is what the police indicated to me. So I said that sounds like torturing to me,” the teary eyed father said.
Arthurton indicated that the situation should have been handled differently noting that the pathologist was at fault for issuing a statement before the investigations were completed.
“Well, for me, I would have completed all of my investigations before saying anything to the media, because now it sounds like he is insulting me and my family to say that my son died from natural causes and now he comes back with a different thing. So, I want to know what’s next,” said Arthurton.
“Speaking to my lawyer, I was advised to get a second opinion and we contacted Shepherd King from St. Lucia. However, we didn’t really get to talk to him, but we get his name and I do intend to get a second opinion,” he added.
He, however, said that the second press release had brought some degree of relief to family and they are now seeking justice for Shaquille.
“But my thing is for the police to catch the perpetrator or perpetrators. That is what we really, really want now”.
Arthurton described his son as “a cool guy”.
The lifeless body of 23-year-old New Road resident was discovered by a passerby in an open lot in Gillard Meadows in the vicinity of the Control Tower of the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport on January 27th, 2018.
A Candle light vigil was held on Wednesday of this week (9th February).