Aquatic Centre death: Boy died from fractured spine, blunt trauma to neck

Joel Adams, the 14-year-old student of Dennis Street Sophia Care Centre, who lost his life at the National Aquatic Centre, died from a fractured spine and blunt trauma to the neck, based on the post-mortem report seen by the News Room.

The post-mortem was conducted by pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh.

Investigations revealed that on the day in question Adams left the Care Centre with a group of children at about 13:30 hrs and went to the Aquatic Centre for a swim programme.

Miss Khemwatti Dasrat, the Caretaker, related that at about 14:55 hrs, she heard the whistle blow at the Aquatic Centre, and the children started to exit the pool.

One of the swim coaches related that she saw when Adams “back-flicked” into the pool, and the Life Guard jumped in the pool to rescue him.

He was taken out of the pool and attended to by a Nurse there on stand-by. An ambulance was summoned, and he was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.