The police's request to conduct an autopsy on a 17-month-old infant who passed away last Saturday has been approved by Seychelles' Magistrates' Court.
The Magistrates' Court ordered an autopsy on the 17-month-old infant discovered dead in a vehicle
The police announced in a press release on Monday that an investigation had begun into the death of Emelyan Jandurl, a 17-month-old Russian infant, who had been left unattended in an air-conditioned vehicle in the parking lot of a gym in the Anse Royale neighbourhood.
The deceased man's father and wife reportedly left their infant in the car. At the same time, they went to the gym, according to the communiqué. When his wife returned to the car after 1 hour and 30 minutes, she noticed that the baby boy was not responding. She told her husband immediately, and they both went for help.
The baby could not be revived despite the doctor's and the medical team's best efforts.
According to a report on SBC news on Wednesday, the police had requested the Magistrates Court grant an order for an autopsy as part of their investigation to determine the cause of the baby's death.
The couple had, in response, asked the Supreme Court to reverse the ruling through a notice of motion through their attorney Brian Julie, claiming that they practice Russian Orthodoxy and that an autopsy is against their faith.
Moreover, according to the Orthodox Christian information center, post-mortem examinations of Orthodox clergy or followers shouldn't be done "except in the case of suspected foul play" or for forensic reasons.
Chief Justice Rony Goviden responded by stating that the motion does not follow Seychelles law. He explained that a notice of action is only used when a request is made in the middle of an ongoing case and that the Magistrates' Court has the final say.
Govinden continued, "No provision of the law can reverse a judgment that is following the Constitution." Even though the Supreme Court has a controlling function, it is not its job to overturn a constitutionally sound judgment.
On Thursday, the autopsy is anticipated to be completed. The couple and their child were scheduled to return home on January 31 after visiting Seychelles, a western Indian Ocean archipelago, on January 14.
