A Senior Specialist Pathologist at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital has described the death of a 14-year-old final year student of Miracle Educational Academy Junior High School (JHS) in Sunyani as unnatural.
The pathologist, Dr. Ernest K. Adjei, said Leticia Kyere Pinaman died as a result of asphyxia (suffocation) through hanging, and, therefore, unnaturally.
Pinaman was found hanging on a rope tied to a crossbar holding the ceiling joints at the school’s dining hall about 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 17, 2021, while the students had converged on the school’s church auditorium for Bible studies.
Authorities of the school had said that Pinaman left the Bible studies session — the last time she was seen — before her body was found hanging.
Her family had, however, suspected foul play as they disputed the suicide theory, and invited the police to investigate the matter thoroughly.
The body has since been released to the family after the pathologist concluded the autopsy on Saturday, June 5, 2021.
Suicide note
Pinaman was said to have left a supposed suicide note on a table, which read: “I am not happy, this world is full of sorrow and pain, I can’t live anymore and I want to die”.
The note, according to the Housemistress of the school, Ms Gifty Acheampong, expressed her sorrow to her parents, teachers and friends for her departure.
The police took the said note for purposes of investigations, including comparing it with her handwriting.
The school said the Bible studies was part of the school’s curriculum, and was held every Monday evening.
Ms Acheampong said at the time that the school could not pick any information prior to the unfortunate act because Pinaman did not portray anything that showed she was capable of committing such an act.
Indeed, she was said to have performed her responsibilities normally, and took part in all the school’s activities, including class activities, without a hint of any lingering troubles.
Ms Acheampong described her as a brilliant student, calm and jovial in class and at the hostel.
Attitude change
A classmate of Pinaman, Cindy Cheremeh, who was also her closest friend, told journalists that although she noticed sudden changes in Pinaman’s attitude, she never suspected it would get to a level where she would take her own life.
