‘Princess Cooper Died of Tuberculosis’

The pathologists who conducted an autopsy on the remains of the late Princess Cooper have revealed that the career caterer and beauty queen died mainly of progressive secondary pulmonary tuberculosis.

The lifeless body of Ms. Cooper was found face-down in a fence behind the FAWAZ Building Construction Company at the ELWA Junction, Paynesville City, in a pool of blood that had oozed from her mouth and nose, according to the Liberia National Police. Ms. Cooper, 25, was a resident of the Tweh Farm, Bushrod Island Community. 

According to Dr. Benedict Kolee,  Princess’ cause of death was natural and caused by hemorrhagic shock. 

Hemorrhagic shock is a type of hypovolemic shock, where intravascular blood loss and consequent alterations in the cell due to the hypoxia result in tissue and organ dysfunction, leading to death, once a certain threshold level is exceeded.

The autopsy report by Dr. Kolee and his colleague, Dr. Zoebon B. Kpadeh, added that other causes of death include massive hemorrhage from ruptured rasmussen aneurysm and erosion of bronchial vessels and progressive secondary pulmonary tuberculosis. 

Massive hemoptysis arising from a Rmrasmussen's aneurysm, is a potentially life-threatening condition involving bleeding from the pulmonary or bronchial vasculature which is usually due to higher pressure of the bronchial system. In cases where bronchial artery embolization has not yet been performed, mortality approaches 70 percent.

"In our professional and expert opinion, the manner of death is NATURAL," the pathologists wrote. 

However, the family of the deceased the family as rejected the autopsy report released by the government. The family says there is no medical history of their deceased daughter that she had TB. It remains to be seen what next step will be taken by the family.

The family of the late Princess Cooper, before the conduct of the autopsy by the government, clashed with the Ministry of Justice regarding the autopsy. 

Ms. Cooper's family, as a result of their demand for a forensic autopsy, did not attend the March 27 clinical autopsy that was conducted by the government.  The family of the deceased demanded a forensic autopsy on grounds that the cause of death may be criminal, while the government pushed ahead with the conduct of its clinical autopsy to find the medical cause of death since Ms. Cooper died of an unknown or uncertain cause.

Meanwhile, the government has asked family members and other associate of the late Princess Cooper that if they have problem with the report, they should hire their own private Pathologist to perform another autopsy.

This government autopsy report comes just weeks after Police spokesman Moses Carter disclosed that the Liberia National Police preliminary report revealed no foul play.

Carter noted that a physical forensic examination conducted revealed that there was no foul play in the death of the young lady.

“Our forensic team conducted a physical examination on the body of the late Princess Cooper from the physical examination, observed that there was no laceration, and there were also no bruises. Our coroner conducted a coroner inquest on the body at the John F. Kennedy medical center and that coroner inquest that was conducted… for now there has been no foul observed. Our investigation is continuing,’’ said the police spokesman. 

However, Carter then intimated that the police take the investigation very seriously and will explore every means possible to investigate the circumstances of the death of the late Princess Cooper and will determine the next action from the autopsy report.

The late Ms. Cooper on March 24, the day of her death reportedly left her residence early that day to do some catering work at Capitol Bye-pass, but subsequently received a call to which she was lured in the Paynesville area. She reportedly told friends that she was going somewhere and would be back.

Princess is reported to have placed a Facebook messenger video call after an hour of her departure to a lady named Welleh, who is believed to be a close friend, telling her, “They are killing me ooo…” and the deceased immediately then dropped the call.

She did not pick up again when Welleh reportedly tried to return the call.

There have, however, been a series of protests since Princess’ demise with Liberians from all walks of life calling on the government to ensure that justice is served and that her killer is found and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Protesters stormed Capitol Hill, visiting both the Capitol Building, the seat of the Legislature and the Executive Mansion, which serves as the offices of the presidency to present petitions as well as voice out their frustration over the manner in which the government was handling the situation.