Death certificate proves killer died of HIV illness

CHILD-Killer Marcus Wharwood died of HIV-related complications, as was reported in Newsday’s page 4 story yesterday, and was not beaten to death, as was suggested in an article in another daily yesterday. The misleading article, which received a lot of electronic media attention yesterday, was exposed following a press conference at the Ministry of National Security office on Abercromby St, Port-of-Spain. Commissioner of Prisons Leo Abraham produced Wharwood’s death certificate to confirm Newsday’s story. According to the post-mortem, performed and certified by Dr Neville Jankie, the murder accused’s death was as a result of Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) pending histology, serology HIV, which, according to preliminary analysis, indicates that the symptoms are consistent with characteristics associated with HIV.

Commissioner Abraham explained that tissue and blood samples will be sent for further testing for a more detailed analysis, but the present analogy confirmed complications associated with the deadly disease. Wharton, 29, died on Saturday at Ward 31 of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. He was hospitalised on Monday, February 2, complaining of feeling unwell. Prisons doctor, Dr Cryil Paltoo, after examining Wharwood, made the diagnosis of an HIV-related infection, and his immediate hospitalisation was recommended. Medical sources also told Newsday that the pressures of dealing with the disease and the murder may have accelerated the process, causing him to die an even quicker death.

Wharwood was at the time waiting his turn at Remand Yard, Golden Grove, Arouca, to appear before Mayaro Magistrate Indrani Cedeno tomorrow to answer the charge of beating, burning and biting his daughter Shania to death on January 28. Information reaching Newsday is that tests are being carried out on Avion King, mother of baby Shania and three-year-old Isiah, to see if they too are suffering from the disease. Sources also told Newsday that medical authorities are currently searching for the lovers of another woman in the Mayaro area who died of the AIDS virus last year, and who was once Wharwood’s lover.