Controversy erupts following news report of misplaced corpse; relative says story is true, but she is ‘leaving it alone’

Following the controversy generated by claims of a misplaced corpse the woman who made the complaint says she is leaving the matter alone.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the body of a man who succumbed to COVID-19 on September 25 could not be found by his son.  

The relative who related the course of events said that hospital authorities had informed the son of Renal Delva of his passing; however, there had been “no definitive word from the hospital about the body.”

The woman said the son – who is her nephew – was devastated at being unable to bury his father and get closure. 

Since then, persons purporting to know have given REAL News conflicting information. One set says the body is at a private funeral home while others insist that it is stored in the refrigerated container on the Holberton compound.  

Today, October 7, a social-media post by a person claiming to be Delva’s son denied the story.  REAL News was told that this person is another son and not the one living in Antigua.  

Accordingly, the relative who made the complaint says, “If that’s what those overseas want, leave it alone.  But I know this story is very true.  I now know that people are just afraid to stand [up] for their rights.”

No further information from the son who resides on island has been forthcoming.

Meanwhile, many persons are asking why the remains of a person who died from COVID-19 were not buried within the usual 72-hour window.  If, indeed, the body is still stored in the Ministry of Health’s makeshift morgue, then the medical convention of speedy burial has been seriously breached, they say.

Other residents still believe that Delva was buried and, inadvertently, the family was not notified.