Maradona’s doctor charged with involuntary manslaughter | World

A judge also authorized the search of the doctor’s house and clinic. Luque must testify before the Public Ministry for suspicion of medical negligence in the last days of the former player’s life.

The prosecution is seeking answers to the suspicion that Maradona was not discharged when he was transferred from a clinic, after undergoing surgery for a tumor on the head, to the house where he died in Tigre (30 km north of Buenos Aires).

The Argentine courts are investigating whether there was negligence surrounding Maradona’s death. The prosecution seeks to determine if the star received the necessary care and what were the circumstances of his last hours.

“There are already irregularities,” a person close to the family told France Presse on Friday (27).

A few hours after his death, Matías Morla, lawyer and friend of Maradona, denounced on Thursday “that the ambulance took more than half an hour to reach the house where [camisa] 10 “. Therefore, he warned that “it will go to the end” to clarify what happened.

• Listen to the recording of the ambulance order made by Maradona’s doctor

Morla and relatives of the Argentine idol have not gone to court for clarification so far, a judicial source told AFP.

“The investigation began because it is a person who died at home and no one signed the death certificate. It does not mean that there are suspicions of irregularities, but that is what is being investigated,” said the source, who requested the anonymity.

The 1986 World Cup winner in Mexico died on Wednesday at the age of 60 of “acute lung edema and chronic heart failure.” Maradona was at his home, in a private condominium in the city of Tigre, where he had lived since November 11, after being discharged from the clinic where he had been operated on for a bruise on his head six days earlier.

The case opened by the Attorney General of the Republic of San Isidro is titled “Maradona, Diego. Investigation of the cause of death.”

‘Contradiction in testimony’

“We have to see if they did their duty or if there was relaxation. The nurse [ que estava de plantão quando se constatou que o ídolo estava morto] reported something when the prosecutor appeared on the day of Diego’s death, then expanded his testimony and, at the end, went on television to say that he was forced to speak, so there is a certain contradiction in his testimony, “said the relative from Maradona, who asked anonymity.

The Prosecutor’s Office awaits the result of the toxicological tests on Maradona’s body. As part of the investigation in which three prosecutors are working, their medical records and those of the cameras of the neighborhood where they lived in their last days were requested.

The prosecution has already started the interrogation. “It was established that [uma enfermeira encarregada de cuidar de Maradona] he would have been the last person to see him alive around 6:30 am (Wednesday), at the time of the changing of the guard, “the prosecutor said in a statement.

In a statement made on Thursday, the nurse “reported finding him (Maradona) resting in his bed, ensuring that he was sleeping and breathing normally.”

Until this statement, it was believed that the last person who had seen him alive was his nephew Johnny Herrera, at 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to his testimony.

That is, almost 12 hours before his death. The event outraged Maradona’s lawyer, who denounced “criminal idiocy.”

In addition, the nurse present at the time of death gave a new testimony. “She said that around 7:30 am she would have heard him enter the room.”

At first, the woman, responsible for the morning shift, said that at 11 in the morning she saw him sleeping and did not want to disturb him, preferring to wait for the expected arrival at noon of the psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and the psychologist Carlos Díaz.

It was Cosachov and Díaz who realized that Maradona did not react, initiating the call for help. A neighborhood doctor tried to revive the idol.

The first call to Maradona’s health plan company was made at 12:17 pm. A minute earlier, a call to the emergency number (911) was made by Maradona’s personal doctor, Leopoldo Luque.

The first ambulance arrived at 12:27 pm. Then the entry of other ambulances was observed, the prosecutor said.

The location of the house where Maradona was doing the rehabilitation was chosen so that the idol would be close to his daughters.

After the surgery, recovery was fine, according to her doctor. Maradona’s health, however, was poor due to a heart history. He suffered from alcohol withdrawal, which he used to mix with the many prescription drugs he took.

“Diego was discharged and then, although the clinic recommended that he go to another place to be hospitalized, the family chose another place. In fact, the daughters signed the discharge from the hospital,” said the relative.

AFP tried to contact his doctor, so far with no response.

The world champion in Mexico-1986, who was at least twice on the verge of death in 2000 and 2004, was severely damaged on October 30, in his last public appearance on the Gimnasia club field, where he received a tribute for part of 60th anniversary.

On Thursday, a crowd attended the idol’s funeral at the Argentine government headquarters, Casa Rosada, but the ceremony did not last long enough for all of Maradona’s fans to say goodbye to the idol, sparking incidents on the streets of the capital. .

Thousands more people followed the funeral procession to the private Bella Vista cemetery, northwest of Buenos Aires, where Maradona’s body was buried.