Autopsy confirms Lusignan teen died from hanging, relatives hint at private PME

Malinda Niewenkirk, the 19-year-old girl who was discovered dead in her Lusignan, East Coast Demerara house last week died from hanging, an autopsy on Monday confirmed.

Police Commander of Regional Division 4C, Krishnadat Ramana, told the News Room that Niewenkirk died as a result of compression injury to the neck consistent with hanging.

Ramana said no other marks of violence were seen on Niewenkirk’s body.

The autopsy was conducted by Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh at the Memorial Gardens funeral home.

The body has since been handed over to the family for burial.

However, the family of the dead teenager is maintaining their suspicion that foul play was involved in her death.

Niewenkirk’s mother, Debra Niewenkirk told the News Room that she will be conducting a private autopsy on her daughter’s remains.

“I have a private doctor to do a post-mortem…we coulda identify the body but not view the cutting (post-mortem)…I need justice for my daughter,” the mother said.

She added, “I think there is foul play… she never would hang herself… plus she was standing on the ground and braced onto the door.”

Police Headquarters had said investigations revealed that Niewenkirk and her 36-year-old ex-boyfriend broke up on August 16  and she reportedly threatened to end her life if he didn’t reconcile the relationship.

The two communicated for some time and the man told investigators he tried to comfort and encourage her not to do that.

The teen, however, stopped responding to him after some time.

The man further told the Police that he became suspicious and as such, went to make a report at the Vigilance Police Station.

The Police subsequently went to the house when they made the discovery.

After the news of Niewenkirk death’s had spread, there was speculation that her ex-boyfriend might have been involved in her demise.

More so since there was CCTV footage that captured a man, suspected to be the ex-boyfriend leaving her apartment shortly before the discovery was made.

Malinda’s mother told the News Room that she was aware that her daughter was having a relationship with the man.  In fact, she said Malinda introduced him to her on Mother’s Day this year.

“On Mother’s Day, she bring him by me. I never hear she said they have any like fighting and them thing,” the mother said.

The family however believes that Malinda was unaware that the man was married.