Coroner knocks inquest delay

The coroner has expressed dissatisfaction with a more than decade-long delay in an inquest into a baby’s 2011 death.

Magistrate Graveney Bannister said the matter first came to his attention in 2020 before the file went missing a few times in the subsequent years.

“I inherited this matter when it was almost ten years old and I was seeing this matter for the first time,” he said.

The magistrate was speaking as he suggested police further investigate the death of one-month-old Tre Hinds, which he found was “unnatural and accidental with a high degree of negligence”.

“This matter first came to my attention as coroner mid-year in 2020,” he said as the baby’s parents Lisa Peters and Cleveland Hinds were present.

“The death of Tre occurred on November 21, 2011, and it came to my attention when I came over here to this court. And then the file went missing a couple times in between when I took over because we moved from courts or changed courts,” Magistrate Bannister said.

“I think it is a good idea that these matters are being placed online but then even with the placement of files online, there is still need for that manner or aspect. So I hope there is no recurrence of this matter or matters like these where there are delays. This court frowns on delay.”

He said after reviewing the evidence, the court found that both parents “were economical with the truth”.

Tre was discovered with a plastic bag, which was being used as a mattress cover on the bed, over his head. He was half of a twin and one of eight children the couple had.

“Cleveland Hinds or Lisa Peters or someone else, probably one of the other children, was responsible for the act or omission that caused the death of Tre,” Magistrate Bannister said.

“The boyfriend was at home at the time of discovery of the dead child. The matter should be further investigated by the police as, in my view, the parents were economical with the truth and callous,” he said.

“This matter is of some vintage before I assumed the role of coroner. Some time had passed but I daresay that matters such as these will be with you your entire life and on your conscience. You have to live with this,” he told the parents.

“I recommend that greater care be taken to ensure there is no repeat of these kinds of deaths either by yourself or other persons in Barbados. There are prenatal courses that are given as how care should be given to children, especially young babies.

“I accept the death of Tre Hinds to be due to asphyxia. It may be concluded that asphyxia was caused by accidental smothering if the history is to be taken at face value.”

However, the coroner lamented that the autopsy could not determine if the plastic was over the child’s face, or the time or duration it took for the child to die.

He added that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was not a consideration since a cause of death was ascertained and was consistent with the history provided.

His finding will now be forwarded to the Registrar and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for consideration.

“The process is one where this verdict goes on to the registrar and then the DPP. I don’t make any determination as to innocence or guilt so the Act says the file is forwarded for determination,” Magistrate Bannister explained.

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