Autopsy Reveals Two-Day-Old Baby Died of Blunt Force Trauma, Not Police Tear Gas

An autopsy has concluded that a two-day-old infant, whose death prompted a police-ordered exhumation last week, died from multiple blunt force injuries, a senior pathologist reported.

The findings counter initial allegations that the baby died from exposure to tear gas during a police intervention at a disputed property in the Kuntorloh area of Freetown.

Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma, the pathologist who conducted the examination, stated the infant’s death resulted from “multiple blunt force fractures and injuries to the head, neck, and chest.” The report identified dislocation fractures of the cervical vertebrae and corresponding spinal cord injuries as significant contributing factors.

Dr. Koroma stated the injuries were consistent with an accidental fall from a height and were not caused by chemical exposure or other external causes.

The infant’s death occurred on October 4 amid a chaotic police operation at the Lifeline Nehemiah Project site, an organization involved in a protracted land dispute. The incident had sparked allegations from the family and calls from human rights groups for an investigation after reports that police deployed tear gas in the area.

Following a formal report of the death, Inspector General of Police William Sellu had ordered the infant’s body exhumed for a forensic examination to determine the exact cause of death.

The autopsy report provides the first official medical account of the tragedy and is expected to guide ongoing legal and administrative proceedings related to the case.

The land dispute at the heart of the incident involves the Lifeline Nehemiah Project, which alleges repeated attempts by individuals to illegally seize its property, despite a court injunction and confirmation of its ownership from the Ministry of Lands.

The recent police intervention also led to the temporary detention of two project beneficiaries and a staff member.