KOTA KINABALU: The medical officer who pronounced Zara Qairina Mahathir dead testified that the Form One student had the lowest level of consciousness in her final hours and was unable to breathe independently.
Dr Pavankumar Balachandran from the Neurosurgery Department at Queen Elizabeth Hospital stated the 13-year-old’s prognosis was severely guarded, meaning her chance of survival was extremely poor.
He confirmed she was intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation during the fourth day of the inquest into her death.
Dr Pavankumar testified that Zara Qairina’s initial neurological assessment showed a Glasgow Coma Scale of E1VTM1, with fixed, dilated pupils and absent brainstem reflexes.
“The patient’s level of consciousness was very low ... the scale of E1VTM1 was the lowest level of consciousness,” he said.
When questioned by lawyer Datuk Ram Singh, representing a juvenile charged with bullying the deceased, the doctor said he had called for a family conference due to the poor prognosis.
Ram Singh asked if he knew Zara Qairina was going to die upon her arrival in the neurosurgery ward.
Dr Pavankumar replied that such cases carry a very poor prognosis and outcome.
He clarified that the decision to conduct a post-mortem was a matter between the Department of Forensic Medicine and the police.
Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan confirmed that Dr Pavankumar pronounced the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir on July 17.
Dr Pavankumar added that the teenager was admitted to the neurosurgery ward at 6.40 pm on July 16 but showed no clinical improvement before dying at 1.07 pm the next day.
The court also heard testimony from Crime Scene Investigation Inspector Maidon Bernadus from the Sabah Contingent Police Headquarters.
He stated that on August 3, his team conducted two simulations using a mannequin dropped from a corridor with and without a minimal push.
The mannequin was weighted to approximately 53 kilogrammes to resemble the deceased’s physical weight.
A video recording of the simulation was played in court, and the witness was instructed to bring in the mannequin used.
Zara Qairina died on July 17 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital after being found unconscious in a drain near her school hostel in Papar at 4 am the previous day.
The Attorney General’s Chambers ordered her remains exhumed for a post-mortem on August 8 before announcing an inquest into her death on August 13.
The hearing continues tomorrow. – Bernama
