A forensic pathologist has told the Coroner’s Court that it is not possible for the late Zara Qairina Mahathir to have accidentally fallen or been pushed while standing, during proceedings of an inquest into her death.
Inquest witness Datuk Seri Dr Bhupinder Singh, 74, testified that there was a possibility the teenager had climbed and crossed a railing on the third floor of a school dormitory building in Kinarut, Papar, after a site inspection was carried out on 2 August 2025.
He told the court that the metal railing measured 118cm in height, while the deceased was 154cm tall, meaning the barrier stood above her centre of gravity.
“Based on the measurements, it is not possible for the deceased to have fallen accidentally or been pushed from a standing position,” he said in his written statement read in court on Monday.
However, he added that it was possible the victim may have climbed over the railing.
Dr Bhupinder said the overall injuries were consistent with a fall from height, noting that the impact likely occurred on both feet before transferring force through the spine, causing the body to fall backwards, more towards the left side.
He explained that such injury patterns are commonly seen in high-fall cases, where force is transmitted through the axial skeleton, resulting in fractures and internal trauma.
The pathologist also noted fractures in the lumbar spine and bleeding in the brain, which led to swelling and ultimately death.
He further stated that some injuries, including those on the sternum, could have resulted from cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), as there were no signs of surrounding tissue trauma.
The inquest continues as legal representatives for multiple parties, including the victim’s family and several accused individuals, present their submissions before the Coroner.
