Representatives of the Forensic Lab, the Office of the Pathologist, the Police and Ministry of Health on Monday, March 19, met with the family members of four deceased individuals who are suspected of consuming a substance which may have contributed to their deaths. The briefing held at the Saint Lucia Forensic Science Laboratory provided relatives with an upfront opportunity to be updated on the case and to pose questions of their own. The officials were pleased with the turnout and with the tone of discussions. The relatives were informed that the bodies of their loved ones would not be immediately released for burial proceedings. Pathologist Dr. Heather Emmanuel of the Victoria Hospital addressed this aspect of the discussions, assuring that further testing is a necessary component of the investigation. She stressed that the bodies cannot be released for burial until there is a good grasp of what happened. Director of Forensic Science Services in Saint Lucia, Fernanda Henry explained that officials are looking at a reasonable timeframe for the testing of samples. Meanwhile, the Police who also attended the briefing with relatives are appealing to the Coolie Town community to continue to assist with information on the chain events which may be linked to the sudden deaths of four persons.
