16 year old Shadisha Arnold was one of the three girls who perished in a fire at the female dorm of the youth hostel on Saturday. Today, her family set
the funeral for 2:00 pm at St. John's Cathedral. It was sure to be a sorrowful event – but a delay at the morgue with Shadisha's burnt remains made it
even more painful for her family. Courtney Weatherburne reports:…
Frustrated and outraged: That's what these family members were feeling. They had been waiting outside the St. John's Cathedral since for the funeral
service of Shadisha Arnold to start. But the service couldn't begin because Arnold's body had not even been released from the morgue.
Addison Gillett - Uncle of Shadisha Gillett
"People waiting before 2 o'clock and I come to the morgue from 2 o'clock and they still can't release the body; I am a police officer, a special
constable and they still can't release the body, they don't want me to see neither, burn beyond recognition. No hand, no head, no foot, so it's only a
small portion they will bury. Baby I very upset, I very upset. Everybody the try cool me off that I no flip."
Gillett says the body should have been released at 10 but according to him, Human Services Department failed to authorize the release. And apart from that,
he says they still don't have concrete answers as to what happened that day of the fire.
Addison Gillett - Uncle of Shadisha Gillett
"Its most wa cover up they di do because nobody the explain nothing to we because it's not the hospital that don't want to release it, it's not their
fault, it's the ministry's fault, human services fault. We no get nothing constructive from none of them, like they are doing a cover up, nobody the
explain nothing to we."
Courtney Weatherburne
"You know exactly what happened?"
Addison Gillett - Uncle of Shadisha Gillett
"Nobody, they no even talk to my sister yet from human services. Now all of a sudden some young lady bring a message that human services wants to see
her as the funeral done. The officer already told her she isn't going anywhere; leave that to me and to the older sister."
But after all waiting and confusion, Shadisha Arnold's body arrived at the church at 3:50. Her casket was lifted and carried into the church and the
mourning family members followed closely behind.
When we spoke with CEO Judith Alpuche this evening she told us that the human services department does not have the authority to release any 'body'
from the morgue. In this case, it's in the hands of forensics. Alpuche told us that based on the information she received, the reason why they took so
long to release the body is because the forensic team was just making sure that the family got the right body. Alpuche also told us that they have
already spoken to the family and given them all the information they have so far about the fire. They will be updating the family on investigation as
it continues.
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