Inquest Zara Qairina Landed On Her Feet Says Pathologist

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Queen Elizabeth Hospital pathologist Dr Jessie Hiu (right) at the Kota Kinabalu court complex. NSTP file picKOTA KINABALU: After this morning's Coroner's Court visit to the scene where the late Zara Qairina Mahathir was found unconscious, a Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) pathologist continued her testimony in the afternoon session of the inquest into the teens death.
Dr Jessie Hiu was questioned about the results of the simulation conducted at Zara Qairina's dormitory.
This morning, she attended the locus in quo proceedings before coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan in Limauan, Kinarut, Papar.
The court session began with questions from conducting officer Datuk Badiuszaman Ahmad.
Dr Hiu explained the findings from the mannequin-based reconstruction conducted under two different scenarios — one in a seated position and another while standing.
Badiuszaman: Can you explain to the court the findings from the simulation?
Dr Hiu: The reconstruction this morning was based on two scenarios. The first was the mannequin in a seated position, pushed from behind. It fell from the building face-down. The second was while standing and falling straight down, with the mannequin landing in the drain.
Badiuszaman: Is that consistent with the first finding?
Dr Hiu: There are two parameters in this case. The first is injury to both legs. The other is the distance from the building. In the first scenario, the mannequin fell further from the building but landed face-down. In the second, the mannequin landed directly on both feet but closer to the building — not at the location believed to be where the deceased's feet landed.
Badiuszaman: Which is more likely?
Dr Hiu: The second scenario, landing on both feet.
Dr Hiu also explained that Zara Qairina suffered severe fractures to the tibia (shinbone), caused by falling from a height.
She was responding to questions from lawyer Rizwandean M. Borhan, who represents Zara Qairina's mother, suggesting that the deceased could have sustained worse injuries had she fallen from the third floor of the building.
Rizwandean also highlighted the possibility of multiple causes behind the fall, including being pushed, which Dr Hiu — the first witness in the inquest — agreed it was possible.
However, Dr Hiu clarified that in Zara Qairina's case, the deceased landed on her feet some distance away from the dormitory building, making it unlikely that she could have simply slipped.
"I agree there are many possible ways of falling. However, in this case, she landed on her feet at some distance from the building.
"Based on this morning's reconstruction, she could not have simply slipped and fallen straight down.
"We also tested other scenarios. To land at the location believed to be her landing spot, her body must have been tilted forward and landed feet-first," she said.
When Rizwandean asked Dr Hiu if she knew whether DNA tests had been conducted on the iron railing atop the dormitory corridor wall — the spot where Zara Qairina was believed to have been before falling on July 16, she said none had been done.- NST

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