Coroner's report

Office of the Yoknapatawpha County Coroner

DATE and HOUR AUTOPSY PERFORMED:
5/12/2024, 11:30 a.m. by

Manish Agarwal, M.D.
555 Jackson Avenue
Oxford, MS 38655
662-234-XXXX (FAX 662-234-XXXX)

Assistant:

Victoria Witte, M.D.

Full Autopsy Performed

SUMMARY PRELIMINARY REPORT OF AUTOPSY

Name:
LEDBETTER, Jasmine Lynn

Coroner's Case #:
2024-062

Date of Birth:
04/23/2005

Age:
19

Race:
White

Sex:
Female

Date of Death:
5/12/2024

Body Identified by:
Brenda Ledbetter, mother

Case #
002394-12E-2024

Investigative Agency:
Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department

EVIDENCE OF TREATMENT

N/A

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION

The autopsy is begun at 11:30 a.m. on May 12, 2024. The body is presented in a black body bag. At the time of examination, the body is wrapped in a clear plastic tarp.

Upon removal of the tarp, the body is clothed in a white button-down shirt, blue skirt, and black boots. On the lower half of the shirt front is a large bloodstain, and the material has multiple tears. The skirt reveals another smaller bloodstain, which appears to be the result of pooling blood and gravitational runoff. The skirt material has no tears.

The body is that of a normally developed, well-nourished Caucasian female measuring 65 inches in length, weighing 115 pounds, and appearing generally consistent with the stated age of 19 years.

The body is cold and unembalmed with slowly declining rigor. Pronounced unblanching lividity is present on the lateral posterior of the body in the regions of the heels, legs, back, and arms and is pinkish in color. Purplish lividity is also present on the posterior of the neck.

The scalp is covered by short, blonde hair, averaging 15-20 cm inches in length, and has pink highlighting, consistent with spray-on hair color or hair dye. The body hair is female and average.

The skull is symmetric. The eyes are open, and the irises appear to be brown. Further examination revealed that the deceased was wearing tinted contacts at the time of death. The deceased's natural eye color is blue, which corresponds with information obtained from the deceased's driver's license. Pupils are asymmetrically dilated and slightly cloudy.

The teeth are natural and well-maintained. The anterior chest is of normal contour and is intact. The breasts are female and contain no palpable masses.

The abdomen is flat with visible wounds (see below), and the pelvis is intact. The external genitalia is female and unremarkable, and there is no evidence of injury.

The back is symmetrical and intact. The upper and lower extremities are symmetric, normally developed, and intact. The palms of the hands contain several incised wounds consistent with defensive wounds. The hands and fingernails have traces of blood.

There is a tattoo of a blue butterfly on the right scapula. There are no additional residual scars, markings, or tattoos.

INTERNAL EXAMINATION

HEAD--CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: The brain weighs 1,317 grams and is within normal limits. The calvarium and base of the skull are normally configured and have no fractures. The dura is intact, and there is no epidural or subdural hemorrhage.

SKELETAL SYSTEM: The skeletal system is unremarkable and is within normal limits.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: The oral cavity shows no lesions. The mucosa is intact, and there are no injuries to the lips, teeth, or gums. There is no obstruction of the airway. The mucosa of the epiglottis, glottis, piriform sinuses, trachea, and major bronchi are anatomic. No injuries are seen, and there are no mucosal lesions. The hyoid bone, the thyroid, and the cricoid cartilage are intact. The lungs weigh: right, 358 grams; left 357 grams. The lungs are unremarkable.

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: The heart weighs 214 grams and has a normal size and configuration. No evidence of atherosclerosis or gross ischemic changes of recent or remote origin is present.

GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM: The mucosa and wall of the esophagus are intact and gray-pink, without lesions or injuries. The gastric mucosa is intact and pink with no injury. No stomach contents are found. The mucosa of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon, and rectum are intact with no injury. The small intestine is ruptured and has multiple lacerations.

URINARY SYSTEM: The kidneys weigh: left, 109 grams; right, 107 grams. The kidneys are anatomic in size, shape, and location and are without lesions. The pelvic calyceal system and ureters are unremarkable. The urinary bladder contains 8 ml of clear yellow urine.

FEMALE GENITAL SYSTEM: The structures are within normal limits. Examination of the pelvic area indicates the victim had not given birth and was not pregnant at the time of death. Vaginal fluid samples are removed for analysis.

TOXICOLOGY: Samples of central and peripheral blood, vitreous humor, gastric contents, urine, liver, and bile are submitted for toxicologic analysis.

SEROLOGY: A sample of right pleural blood is submitted in the EDTA tube. Routine toxicologic studies were ordered.

DESCRIPTION OF INJURIES - SUMMARY

Click to enlarge

(1) A stab wound on the medial abdomen in the umbilical region, approximately 8cm superior to the navel. The wound is slit-like and measures 28mm in length. Depth of the wound is approximately 52mm.