Armadale Enquiry - More startling revelations turn up - Two girls were HIV-positive, others had psychotic episodes
Published: Thursday | September 10, 2009
It was possible that one girl was alive up to 1 a.m. after the deadly May 22 fire that killed seven wards of the state at the Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre, says Dr Micas Campbell, who pronounced five of them dead.
Campbell said four of the wards had stiff bodies and corneal clouding when she checked them, but one ward's body was flaccid and her eyes were clear. "Based on her not having any rigor mortis or cloudy corneal, she may have died less than two hours before 3 a.m.," said Campbell.
The doctor went on to explain that the burns on the girls' bodies were not enough to cause death, but there were other factors such as being trampled on, smoke inhalation or suffocation.
Patrick Robinson, a fireman who testified on September 1, said he did not check to see if the girls were alive after they put out the blaze.
Robinson told the commission of enquiry into the fire that, based on the time they took to reach the institution and the time it took to put out the fire, no one could have survived inside the building. He said he received the call to go to Armadale minutes to 9 p.m. and got there at approximately 9:22. The fire was brought under control within 10 to 15 minutes.
The fireman said he noticed the bodies inside the building afterwards, but did not think it necessary to check if anybody was alive because of the condition they were in.
"The bodies were stripped and hair pasted on their heads," said Robinson.
There was another major revelation at yesterday's sitting.
Campbell said two girls at the St Ann institution were HIV-positive.
"They weren't exactly careful," she said. "They were exposing the other girls to their illness."
The doctor said she sought permission to have the girls separated and relocated as they were caught in compromising positions where there were exchanges of blood. The transfer request was denied, and both girls died in the fire.
Additionally, Campbell noted that wards at Armadale made frequent complaints about having vaginal discharges, which could have been caused from environmental, hygiene or hormonal factors.
Campbell also said the girls had psychotic episodes.
"There was a lot of hallucinating," said Campbell.
According to her, the girls were hearing voices, talking and seeing strange things, and had personality disorders where they displayed antisocial behaviours.
Coupled with this, there were also problems with the distribution of medication as no one was available to do so 24 hours per day.
In total, Campbell said she thought 90 per cent of the girls needed psychiatric attention - an opinion she said she notified others about.
The doctor said she asked if her sessions could be increased from once per week to assist in dealing with the girls but this request was denied.
Dr Donna Michelle Royer-Powe supported this statement in her evidence to the enquiry yesterday.
Royer-Powe, who is the director of medical services at the Department of Correctional Services, said she treated eight girls per day after the fire.
"Most of them showed some irritation of the respiratory system," she said. "They were coughing and generally stuffy."
The enquiry resumes today.
It was possible that one girl was alive up to 1 a.m. after the deadly May 22 fire that killed seven wards of the state at the Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre, says Dr Micas Campbell, who pronounced five of them dead.
Campbell said four of the wards had stiff bodies and corneal clouding when she checked them, but one ward's body was flaccid and her eyes were clear. "Based on her not having any rigor mortis or cloudy corneal, she may have died less than two hours before 3 a.m.," said Campbell.
The doctor went on to explain that the burns on the girls' bodies were not enough to cause death, but there were other factors such as being trampled on, smoke inhalation or suffocation.
Patrick Robinson, a fireman who testified on September 1, said he did not check to see if the girls were alive after they put out the blaze.
Robinson told the commission of enquiry into the fire that, based on the time they took to reach the institution and the time it took to put out the fire, no one could have survived inside the building. He said he received the call to go to Armadale minutes to 9 p.m. and got there at approximately 9:22. The fire was brought under control within 10 to 15 minutes.
The fireman said he noticed the bodies inside the building afterwards, but did not think it necessary to check if anybody was alive because of the condition they were in.
"The bodies were stripped and hair pasted on their heads," said Robinson.
There was another major revelation at yesterday's sitting.
Campbell said two girls at the St Ann institution were HIV-positive.
"They weren't exactly careful," she said. "They were exposing the other girls to their illness."
The doctor said she sought permission to have the girls separated and relocated as they were caught in compromising positions where there were exchanges of blood. The transfer request was denied, and both girls died in the fire.
Additionally, Campbell noted that wards at Armadale made frequent complaints about having vaginal discharges, which could have been caused from environmental, hygiene or hormonal factors.
Campbell also said the girls had psychotic episodes.
"There was a lot of hallucinating," said Campbell.
According to her, the girls were hearing voices, talking and seeing strange things, and had personality disorders where they displayed antisocial behaviours.
Coupled with this, there were also problems with the distribution of medication as no one was available to do so 24 hours per day.
In total, Campbell said she thought 90 per cent of the girls needed psychiatric attention - an opinion she said she notified others about.
The doctor said she asked if her sessions could be increased from once per week to assist in dealing with the girls but this request was denied.
Dr Donna Michelle Royer-Powe supported this statement in her evidence to the enquiry yesterday.
Royer-Powe, who is the director of medical services at the Department of Correctional Services, said she treated eight girls per day after the fire.
"Most of them showed some irritation of the respiratory system," she said. "They were coughing and generally stuffy."
The enquiry resumes today.