Health officials probe deaths at Hunts Bay lock-up

MINISTRY OF Health officials said yesterday that it may be another week before they can identify what is behind the mysterious deaths and illnesses among detainees at the Hunts Bay police lock-up, Kingston, over the past seven weeks.

Four detainees from the Hunts Bay lock-up have died at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) after complaining of not feeling well.

Following yesterday's meeting between representatives from the Ministry, the Southeast Regional Health Authority and Public Health Department, Dr. Deanna Ashley, Acting Chief Medical Officer, said that officials were now working out a plan which will enable them to revisit the police station over the weekend. A team of health officials went to the lock-up on Thursday to carry out preliminary investigations.

The latest victim, Kevin Hewell, died in the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) on Wednesday. Mr. Hewell's death sparked a demonstration at the station by residents of Cresent Road, Kingston 13, where he lived.

The other three died between July 6 and 13. Autopsy reports on Brenton Williams, 35 of 72 Mannings Hill Road, Hopeton Brissett, 34, of 27 Alexander Road, Kingston 13 and Bruce Taylor, 23 of St. Joseph Road came back inconclusive.

Subsequent reports have suggested that the number of dead could be at least seven and that some of the victims could have died from other ailments, but the KPH could not confirm this. The hospital said that research would have to be done and that, as the matter would be sensitive and would form part of an investigation, top health officials would have to give permission for the release of such information.

On the police end, the reports prompted heated denial from Superintendent Fred Williams, commanding officer for the St. Andrew South Police Division.

"Nothing could be further from the truth. It's totally unfounded,"he declared.

Up to yesterday afternoon, a fifth prisoner, Christopher Dixon, who was also rushed to hospital, was still undergoing medical tests to determine the cause of his illness.

On the same day, a meeting had been arranged to look at results from the preliminary investigations and design alternative investigative strategies to find out the causes.

A release from the Ministry indicated three possible alternatives: food poisoning, other poisoning or environmental conditions in what have been described, by various officials, as packed cells.

The release said that health officials will be looking at clinical picture of victims of diseases to find associations and will conduct an environmental assessment of the cells at the lock-up, an examination of food patterns, prison records and further interview with detainees, relatives of the victims and police personnel at Hunts Bay, if necessary.

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