Wrong body sent by Forensic

A Montrose family was in a state of shock and grief yesterday on learning that the body which they had buried at the Longdenville Cemetery last week was not that of their relative Baljit Lalla, but a total stranger. The body which they buried was that of retired Traffic Branch policeman Carlton Babb, whose  body was found at his Barataria home on April 5. The Babb family is contemplating legal action in the matter and will be seeking a court order today to have the body exhumed from the Longdenville Cemetery. Relatives of the two deceased men expressed outrage over the mix-up of the bodies and are contemplating legal action after the proper burials are carried out.

The Lalla family was preparing yesterday to carry out the Hindu rituals of the shaving of the heads of male relatives and a prayer known as Bandara, which is customary following the death of a Hindu, when they were informed that the person whom they buried was that of retired policeman Carlton Babb. The body mix-up has caused extreme grief and chaos as relatives contemplate their next move. More shocking news came when relatives were informed that the body of Lalla was still at the Forensic Science Centre. The Lalla family, who had pooled together resources for the funeral, was unsure where they would get money to finance a second funeral. However, a director at Dass Funeral Home promised yesterday to assist the Lalla family in any way possible. The Dass director revealed that when an employee of the funeral home went to collect the body of Lalla last week, an attendant at the Forensic Science Centre pointed to another decomposed body which he identified as Baljit Lalla. The body  was taken to Dass Funeral Home in Chaguanas.

The face was viewed by Lalla’s relatives and, on Thursday last, the body was taken to Montrose for the funeral and burial. The coffin had been sealed because of decomposition. The director said that as far as he is aware, the mix-up of the bodies took place at the Forensic Science Centre. He said that bodies are not being tagged and this led to the mix-up. The businessman claimed that he is aware of the emotional trauma being experienced by the Lalla family, and he will assist. The Lalla family said yesterday that they were in the process of consulting their pundit to find out what could be done in the existing situation. They are also contemplating what legal steps could be taken. Baljit Lalla, 37, an outpatient of the St Ann’s Hospital, was last seen alive on April 1. On the night of April 3, his body was discovered in his bedroom by his aunt Theresa Lalla. Police officers were called to the scene and a party of officers led by Inspector Burt Raphael, Ag Sgt Ajith Persad and Ag Cpl Terrence Williams went to the scene. The body was viewed by Dr Ray Choudary and ordered removed to the Forensic Science Centre.

An autopsy revealed no foul play in the death while an autopsy carried out on the body of Babb revealed that he died after choking on his vomit following a drinking bout. He had only days earlier collected his backpay. Yesterday, Babb’s family went to the Forensic Science Centre to collect his body for burial carded for yesterday. They viewed a body with a name tag bearing the name Lalla. When they inquired, they were told  that the body had already been collected by Dass Funeral Home. Further investigations revealed that the body was mistakenly buried last week Friday at the Longdenville Cemetery. Babb’s father, former Deputy Commissioner of Police Randy Babb, second in command during reign of deceased Police Commissio-ner Randolph Burroughs expressed outrage about the mix-up and called for an immediate investigation into operations at the mortuary section of the Forensic Science Centre and what he described as the “unprofessional attitude” at the centre. Babb said that the incident demonstrates total disrespect for the bereaved families, who have already experienced heartache and inconvenience.

He said that some family members came from abroad to attend the funeral while others took time off from work for the funeral which had to be postponed to a later date. “I don’t care about whatever is happening, all I want to do is bury my son, and place him in his proper grave,” said a grieving Babb. He too is contemplating legal action. He blames both the funeral home and the Forensic Science Centre for the trauma being experienced by his family. Newsday learnt that St Rose Funeral Services went to the Forensic Science Centre last Thursday to collect the body of Babb, when they were told that the body could not be found and were instructed to return yesterday. The funeral of Babb is carded for tomorrow if all goes well, at the Trinity Cathedral.