Body repatriated without organs

Body repatriated without organs

A father whose son died on holiday in Cuba has demanded to know why his
body was returned with his lungs, kidney and part of his brain missing.

Andrew Redfern, 37, from the Wirral, Merseyside, died after slipping and
hitting his face on a marble floor in a hotel lobby in Havana in August.

When his body underwent post-mortem tests in the UK it was discovered
that several of his organs were missing.

His father, Lawrence, from Inverness, said he had no idea what had happened.

Mr Redfern, 58, said: "If his organs were taken for transplants then I
wouldn't have minded but nobody mentioned anything.

Somebody just removed them without asking permission
Lawrence Redfern

"Somebody just removed them without asking permission and no one seems
to know why."

The boxing coach, who travelled to Cuba to return his son's body to the
UK added: "Because of this, the post mortem which was carried out in the
UK did not reveal how he died.

"My family and I are just concerned that this has been allowed to happen
and want to make sure no other families have to go through this."

Andrew Redfern was an oil rig worker who travelled to Cuba after the
breakdown of the relationship with his girlfriend.

Facial injury

He has an 18-month-old daughter.

He suffered an injury to his face in the fall, and had 10 stitches at a
nearby clinic.

The next day he had a seizure and was taken to hospital where he died.

His body was repatriated to the UK in September but a cause of death has
still not been found.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said post mortem examinations were
mandatory in Cuba for all non-residents and samples of organs and
tissues may be taken for pathology reports.

He added: "We are waiting for a meeting with the Cuban Institute of
Legal Medicines to discuss this case."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/6099942.stm

Published: 2006/10/31 14:40:22 GMT