The news was finally released by Phuket City Police Chief Col Theerawat Liamsuwan today (Sept 17), reported state news agency MCOT.
With the hospital report now submitted, Nong Mint’s family may finally hold her funeral.
Nong Mint’s body will be released to her family this Saturday (Sept 19), Col Theerawat said today, said the MCOT report.
In a stunning display of understanding human physiology, Col Theerawat said that doctors at Vachira Phuket Hospital had determined that Nong Mint’s death was brought on by insufficient blood supply to the heart, leading to heart failure.
There was no explanation of what had caused the heart failure, which is apparently still under investigation – despite widespread initial reports of Nong Mint’s death explaining that the young student had been ordered to run laps around the pond on campus, which has a perimeter of one kilometre. Nong Mint reportedly collapsed during her eighth lap.
She was ordered to run the laps as punishment for making mistakes during cheerleading practice.
The university has consistently denied that Nong Mint died from any form of hazing, although it has since been confirmed that only first-year students who made mistakes during the cheerleading practice were ordered to run laps.
The university also maintains that Nong Mint and the other first-year students were ordered to run laps around the car park where the cheerleading practice was held, and not around the campus pond.
Instead of giving any explanation of the ongoing investigation’s progress, Col Theerawat only said, “The family members will be questioned again, as the condition can be due to genetic causes.”
While a second-year student who ordered Nong Mint to run has already been presented with an initial charge of negligence causing the death of another person over the incident, Col Theerawat today did assure that police will use the medical examination report as evidence to consider who else will be prosecuted.
“There will be a meeting of the investigation committees in the coming week, in order to conclude whether any lecturer or university staff will be charged for ignoring their duty or not,” he said.
Family members will claim Nong Mint’s body from the hospital this Saturday (Sept 19) in order to hold her funeral.
Her remains will be cremated at Wat Tha Ruea in Srisoonthorn next Tuesday (Sept 22), he added.
See also:
Police quiet on probe into Phuket student’s death (Sept 2)
Police top brass step in over Nong Mint’s death, student charged (Aug 24)
Friend reveals timeline of Nong Mint’s death (Aug 24)
Police investigate PRU student’s death (Aug 22)
Father speaks out on daughter’s death at Phuket university (Aug 21)