The doctor who was asked to review the autopsy records of the infant who died while in the care of Irish nanny Aisling Brady McCarthy in the US has requested more time.
Brady McCarthy is on trial for the murder of 12-month-old Rehma Sabir, who was found unconscious in her crib in the family’s apartment near Boston. She was rushed to the hospital with head injuries on January 14, 2013 and died two days later.
The 37-year-old Co Cavan woman has pleaded not guilty.
The Irish Times reports that Jacqueline Faherty, chief legal counsel for the Massachusetts Medical Examiner’s Office, told Judge Maureen Hogan in Middlesex County Superior Court on Thursday that Dr Katherine Lindstrom has not yet reached a final conclusion on the infant’s death and would like to review grand jury testimony before making a determination.
“There’s been no final conclusion. She still has a few items she wants to look over,” said Faherty.
Last month, the judge asked the state medical examiner’s office to appear in court and explain why the autopsy review was taking so long. The initial request to re-examine the records was made four months ago.
Faherty told the judge that Dr Lindstrom is expected to complete the review within two to four weeks once she received the new material, including the grand jury testimony. Chief medical examiner Henry Nields will also review the case.
The grand jury testimony which indicted McCarthy in the child’s death has not been released to the public.
Melinda Thompson, Brady McCarthy’s attorney, said she was happy the state medical examiner was being thorough in reviewing the case.
“I think its impressive they’re doing a review. It’s terrific,” she said.
Brady McCarthy was arrested just days after the infant’s death and indicted for murder in April 2013. She spent more than two years in jail before being released on home confinement on $15,000 bail in May, the Irish Times reports.
The defense claim that prosecutor ignored bone injuries and compression fractures the child received when she was traveling abroad and not in the nanny’s care. The have also claimed the Rehma Sabir had a history of illness. Several medical specialists have also concluded that the infant died of natural causes.
The next hearing is scheduled for August 28th followed by a trial in October.
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