State to bury prisoner who died from injuries following fight with prison guard

An Autopsy revealed that Ricknaldo Issac died of a blood clot linked to injuries

Colonel Trevor Pennyfeather, the head of the prison, has once again met with the family of Ricknaldo Isaac following the results of an autopsy.

According to the report, Issac died due to a blood clot associated with injuries he sustained when a prison officer allegedly forcefully slammed him to the ground during a confrontation at His Majesty’s Prison.

“Mr. Isaac and I had a brief discussion outside the prison, during which he asked whether the state would take responsibility for his son’s burial. I can now confirm that the state will cover the full burial expenses, within reasonable limits. I am awaiting Mr. Isaac’s decision regarding one of the available burial options,” Pennyfeather informed Antigua.news.

The autopsy report, as cited by NewsCo’s Gemma Handy, indicated that Isaac died from a pulmonary embolism resulting from quadriplegia.

A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot obstructs blood flow to an artery in the lung. The report noted that Isaac’s quadriplegia was caused by spinal cord compression due to a neck fracture.

“It also suggests that Isaac had a history of epilepsy, which had been previously proposed as a potential cause of death. However, it clarifies that while the ‘seizure disorder’ may have played a role in his death, it was not the primary cause,” according to the NewsCo report.

Isaac, a resident of Bendals, was serving a one-year sentence for malicious damage at the time of the incident.

He became paralyzed after a guard allegedly slammed him to the ground, resulting in severe spinal injuries.

He succumbed to his injuries several days later while receiving treatment in the hospital.

In the meantime, Pennyfeather stated that the officer involved was transferred effective May 1st of this year, following a request he had made approximately two years earlier, and is no longer employed at HMP. The investigation is ongoing.