'Kevin was no longer with us': Brother of man who may have been alive in morgue speaks out
The brother of a 55-year-old man at the centre of a possible death certificate bungle has spoken out to praise the staff at a Western Australian hospital.
An investigation is underway into what happened to Kevin Reid, after a doctor claimed he may have still been alive when he was taken to the morgue at Rockingham Hospital in Perth.
Jamie Reid says his younger brother was a kind man who would have hated the attention his death has received.
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An investigation is underway into what happened to Kevin Reid, after a doctor claimed he may have still been alive when he was taken to the morgue at Rockingham Hospital. 9News
"He was a good guy, very shy... kept to himself a lot," Jamie said.
He remembers going to the hospital on September 5 to say goodbye, spending up to an hour visiting his brother.
"Kev's eyes were open at that time but there was no light behind them and the signs I saw were very clear. Kevin was no longer with us," he said.
Jamie Reid says his younger brother Kevin was a kind man, who would have hated the attention his death has received. Nine
Kevin was declared dead by an experienced palliative care nurse in Rockingham Hospital.
But against protocol, he was taken to the morgue without a death certificate.
A day later a doctor made explosive claims in a report to the coroner.
"I believe the frank blood from a new skin tear, arm position and eye signs were inconsistent with a person who was post-mortem on arrival at the morgue," the doctor said.
The Hospital boss, state Health Minister and the premier have all cast doubt on that doctor's claims about Kevin Reid. Nine
The hospital's boss, the state's health minister and the premier have all cast doubt on that doctor's claims.
The doctor who raised the concerns no longer works at the hospital, but is cooperating with the health department's investigation, which is expected to wrap up by the end of the year.
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Kevin, who was having palliative care, was declared dead by an experienced palliative care nurse in Rockingham Hospital. But against protocol, he was taken to the morgue without a death certificate. Nine
Jamie had praise for medical staff at the Fiona Stanley and Rockingham hospitals, and also defended the doctor who he said had an obligation to report what he saw.
"They always treated Kevin with dignity, respect, and most importantly kindness throughout his illness," Jamie said.
"From my personal perspective, given the political situation, it's been pushed as a case to highlight people concerned over health.
"Unfortunately it doesn't take into account the people involved."
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