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Autopsy Report: George Floyd Had Covid-19, Suffered From Heart Disease, Fentanyl Intoxication And Meth Use

Swarajya StaffJun 04, 2020, 04:56 PM | Updated 04:56 PM IST

Pic via Twitter


George Floyd, the African-American, who died in police custody last month, had tested positive for the coronavirus in April, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s autopsy report,

The full autopsy released by the Hennepin County medical examiner said that the 46-year-old had tested positive for the coronavirus on April 3 and was likely asymptomatic when he died. The report however added that there is no indication that the virus played any role in his death.

The official cause of death, according to the full 20-page autopsy report was determined as cardiopulmonary arrest while Floyd was being restrained by police taking him into custody on May 25.

The autopsy, in listing cardiopulmonary arrest as the cause also cited "complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression."

According to the toxicology report, Floyd had fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system when he died, as well as cannabis compounds and morphine.

Ruling Floyd's death as a homicide, the official autopsy report that determined that Floyd died of cardiopulmonary arrest is a different finding than a separate autopsy commissioned by Floyd’s family, which found the cause of death to be asphyxia.

Dr. Michael Baden, who was among two doctors who conducted a private autopsy for Floyd's family last week, said county officials did not tell him that Floyd had tested positive for COVID-19.

“The funeral director wasn't told, and we weren''t told, and now a lot of people are running around trying to get tested,” Baden said.

“If you do the autopsy and it''s positive for the coronavirus, it''s usual to tell everyone who is going to be in touch with the body. There would have been more care,” he said.

Baden has said that the four police officers who arrested Floyd should also get tested for COVID-19 as should some of the witnesses.

“I''m not angry,” he said in the NYT report. “But there would have been more care.”

Baden added in the NYT report that the full autopsy includes information he did not have access to, such as the toxicology results showing. Floyd had fentanyl in his system.

Baden said that when he conducted the autopsy report, a part of the heart was not provided — the part that showed coronary artery disease.

(With inputs from PTI)

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