Parents of teen given explanation on development in probe into his death

PUTRAJAYA: Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today met the parents of 13-year-old N. Revnesh Kumar who died suddenly on Jan 16 to provide information on the latest development in the investigation into the boy's death and gave his ministry's commitment to identifying his cause of death.

Khairy said results from the post-mortem and tests that had been conducted so far, including the histology examination would be tabled and discussed by forensic experts in a peer-review session on March 7 for confirmation.

In a statement issued after the meeting with the deceased parents, L.Naresh Kumar and G. Vijayarani at the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Putrajaya today, he said the post-mortem report and test results would be handed over to the parents after the peer review session.

Khairy said MOH was also planning to carry out additional tests on tissue samples which might need to be sent overseas for further testing.

"All these had been conveyed to the deceased parents and they understood the explanation given and agreed with the measures taken to determine his cause of death," he said.

It was reported that on Feb 26, Naresh Kumar and Vijayarani urged the relevant authorities to clarify their only child's cause of death.

The boy received his COVID-19 jab at a health clinic in Presint 8 here on Dec 30 last year and was scheduled to receive the second dose on Jan 20.

He was reported to have collapsed in the elevator of his housing block on Jan 16 on his way to a karate class and was rushed to Kajang Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

In the meantime, Khairy said the development of the investigation would be updated from time to time and he appealed to the public to respect the family's privacy and feelings.

-- BERNAMA