Quoirins’ lawyer in Malaysia says will press for inquest if post-mortem supports it

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Lawyer Sankara N. Nair said he would independently contact Attorney General (AG) Tommy Thomas for an inquest into the death of Irish teen Nora Quoirin if the post-mortem examination provides evidence to support this.

The lawyer representing the teen’s family here said they were awaiting the results of the ongoing medical examination before deciding the next course of action.

Sources told Malay Mail that the outcome of the post-mortem should be available before 3pm today.

Irish teenager Nora Quoirin disappeared during her stay at The Dusun a tropical rainforest resort in Seremban, 63km south of Kuala Lumpur. — Picture courtesy of Lucie Blackman Trust

“A copy of the post-mortem results will go to the AG. It’s for him to decide whether an inquest is needed.

“I will inform AG to consider if there needs to be an inquest,” he said during a press conference at the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital in Seremban where the examination is being conducted. A transcript of the press conference was made available to Malay Mail.

However, the lawyer explained that incidents of sudden death typically result in an inquest.

Meabh Quoirin (far back) being consoled by her husband Sebastian Quoirin as they leave the hospital after identifying the body of their daughter Nora Anne at the Forensic Department in Hospital Tuanku Jaafar August 13, 2019. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

Sankara said the family was distraught after they confirmed the body discovered yesterday was that of their 15-year-old daughter with special needs who had gone missing on August 4.

When asked why he was only engaged now after the discovery of the body, the lawyer clarified that he has been retained from the day after the teen disappeared.

“I just didn’t emerge as an official lawyer as they were searching and there was no need to publicise that a lawyer has been engaged.

“Now that there is a finding of remains, I thought it best to come in the open,” Sankara said.

He was seen arriving at the hospital this morning after a medical pathology team entered for the post-mortem.

A police truck is seen at The Dusun in Kampung Baru Pantai, Seremban August 14,2019. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

The Quoirin family separately issued a statement thanking authorities and search-and-rescue operatives for their efforts in locating their daughter but said they were heartbroken by her death.

The teen’s body was discovered yesterday just 2km from the resort, in an area that police said was previously covered by searchers.

The police from Malaysia, the UK and Ireland are standing by in case the post-mortem results in findings of foul play