Call for inquest after mother's death

The sons of a woman who died yesterday morning, allegedly of a ruptured aorta, are claiming that their mother died in suspicious circumstances and have requested the duty magistrate to order an autopsy.

Joseph and Andrew Frendo filed their request for an inquest before Magistrate Joseph Cassar, who was duty magistrate yesterday.

They explained that their mother Sheila, 57, was taken to hospital about two weeks ago after some problem in the intestines.

She was treated and sent home but her condition did not improve and they took her back to hospital a day later where she was kept for observation.

Yesterday, at about 5.45 a.m. they received a call from hospital informing them that Mrs Frendo had to be operated urgently. Half an hour later another call informed them she had died.

The Frendo brothers said the cause of death had been established by the hospital as "ruptured aortic aneurysm" but they had consulted a doctor privately and had been told that the reason given as the cause of death was very suspicious.

They called on the magistrate to order an autopsy.

But Magistrate Cassar in the evening ruled that he could not take cognisance of such a request if it were not made through the police.

Dr José Herrera signed the request.