Post-mortem reveals child suffered brain, other injuries

A POST-mortem examination performed on the body of seven-year-old Joseph Quallis on Monday has revealed that besides injuries to the brain, he also suffered a broken neck, broken ribs and backbone, and fractured hands and feet.

The St. Pius Primary School pupil was killed when a speeding car pinned him against a fence on Middle Road, La Penitence last Thursday.

The driver of motor car PPP 5931, Jermaine Carrol, 28, of Stevedore Housing Scheme, also appeared on Monday before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry to answer the charge of causing death by dangerous driving, as well as driving a vehicle which did not have its third party insurance, in force.

The motorist, who pleaded not guilty to both charges, was refused bail and remanded to prison until July 4.

The dead child’s parents, Andre Quallis and Shelly-Ann Hutson, told the Chronicle Tuesday evening that they were hoping to bury their son by weekend, but they also expressed disappointment that the owner of the motor vehicle has not yet taken any responsibility for anything in relation to the child’s death.

The child’s deeply distraught father said, “All we’re getting is promises, promises, and nothing tangible…

“Instead, we understand that a section of the media has published that the owner had promised to look after expenses for the wake. Well, I want to say that that is a lie from the pit of hell.”

He said the owner of the car had promised to meet with the bereaved family on Tuesday, but failed to show up. And when contacted on Wednesday,the man said, “Tomorrow!”, but could not decide on the time of day.

Meanwhile, the woman against whose fence the car had crashed and destroyed little Joseph Quallis is peeved that to date, neither the owner of the car nor the driver’s relatives have come forward to tell her anything about repairs to her property.

“The fence has been torn down, and is just parked by old zinc sheets. In the meantime, the security of my home is threatened. I want to know who will repair my fence,” the woman said.
On June 12, seven-year-old Joseph Quallis was rammed and pinned against a fence on Middle Road, La Penitence by Jermaine Carrol, who drove motor vehicle PPP 5931 dangerously, resulting in the death of the child.

(Shirley Thomas)