How did Kershaun die?

AN autopsy on 11-year-old Kershaun Dillouin, a student of Egypt Government Primary School who was found hanging at his grandmother’s home in Point Fortin, has ruled out suicide, which was initially believed to be the cause of his death. The autopsy at the Forensic Science Centre in St James turned out to be inconclusive. Pathologists have taken samples and have sent them for a toxicology report, to see if the young boy had been poisoned. In the meantime, Southern Division Homicide detectives have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the boy’s death.

Newsday yesterday spoke to Dillouin’s father, Kern Bernard, who said that he could not believe his son would have killed himself on the day before his 12th birthday. “He died on the second of March, and his birthday was the third,” Bernard said. “It’s really strange. He was excited and anxious for his birthday. He knew his mother had to pick him up and take him out. He knew he had to go and get a trim. I just cannot believe an 11-year-old boy would just pick himself up and hang himself just so,”

Bernard was told that just before midday on Friday, Dillouin – who lived at his grandmother’s home on Pilgrim Street, New Village, Point Fortin – walked into the living room, where his aunt and younger sister were sitting, and announced he was going to kill himself.

About 15 minutes later, he was found hanging from a PVC pipe which was about waist height. His younger sister was walking along the side of the house when she found him. He was taken to the Point Fortin Hospital, where he was revived, but only for a while.

Bernard told Newsday he went to the hospital as soon as he heard the news. He said when his son was revived he had to be held down by at least six nurses, because he was struggling. When he got into the hospital ward his son was bound by the hands, feet and waist with straps onto a hospital bed.

“He was able to speak, but when I tried to talk to him, he would not respond,” said the father.

Dillouin died at about 5.32 pm on Friday.

Bernard said Dillouin was, for the most part, a regular 12-year-old boy. He liked sports, video games, and music. Newsday was told Dillouin had skipped ahead in standard one in his school, Egypt Government Primary, because he was more advanced than the other students. He was preparing to sit the SEA exam this year. Despite his intelligence and hobbies, Bernard said Dillouin was a reserved and quiet individual. “If he was going through problems he would never let anyone know. He is a lot like me in that way. He is reserved, and would rather solve his problems on his own,”