A MEDICAL source believes six-year-old Sean Luke died within hours of being impaled by a sugarcane stalk in a canefield at Orange Valley, Couva, almost three weeks ago.

The cane stalk was pushed through his anus and into his chest cavity, causing extensive in-ternal damage.

Luke died from internal bleeding.

“Once the stalk penetrated the anus and it pushed with any force it would penetrate the bowels, through the intestine and into the chest cavity,” the medical expert revealed.

“The major organs in that area would be the lungs and the heart inside of the chest cavity.

“But it is quite possible that none of the major organs were damaged, as well as they may have been according to how he was impaled.

“If the weapon was long enough it would have gone right up into the throat.

“He probably died within a couple hours of when the injuries occurred.

“I don’t think there was any realistic chance of him surviving even if he was found before he died.

“The nature of the injuries would have made it impossible for surgeons to save him.”

So gruesome was Luke’s death, a female pathologist broke down in tears and had to suspend the autopsy until she got over the trauma.

“This was just so horrific, even for people who are trained professionals,” one police source declared.

“I have seen some terrible murders in my time, but I have never seen anything like this happen to such a small child.”

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Trevor Paul was expected to have the findings of an investigation into the conduct of officers at the Couva Police Station on the day Luke was reported missing on his desk by last Friday.

The investigation into the conduct of the four police officers -- one corporal and three constables -- was headed by ASP Stephen Dhilpaul and Superintendent Rattan Singh.

The four lawmen were served notice last week that a tribunal would be set up to hear the finding of the investigation, but the officers would have the opportunity to defend themselves.

One officer has since been transferred from the Anti-Kidnapping Squad to the Criminal Investigation Department.

Once found guilty of negligence in carrying out their duties, the four officers could face disciplinary action, which could range from suspension from duty, to expulsion from the Police Service.

The extent of the disciplinary action will be the responsibility of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

“We don’t want any police officers used as scapegoats,” a source at the Couva Police Station confided to this newspaper.

“If the Commissioner wants to throw the book at his officers because he is embarrassed about what happened to the Luke boy, that is fine. But don’t try to use the officers at the Couva Police Station to make a political statement.

“No police service can protect a society from what happened to Sean Luke.

“The police are the last resort. The parents, the teachers, the religious leaders are the ones who are way ahead of the police.”

The four officers have taken the issue to the Police Welfare Association, of which they are all members.

The president of the Police Welfare Association is Ag. Corporal Cedric Neptune, who is an attorney-at-law, but he was unavailable for comment.

However, secretary of the Association, Corporal Noel Chase, made it clear that the four officers were prepared to face any consequences if found culpable.

“The situation is that the Commissioner of Police has the responsibility and authority to make departmental orders and standing orders to regulate the way police officers carry out their duties,” Chase told TnT Mirror.

“The Constitution also gives certain rights to police officers.

“Therefore everything has to be done within the terms and conditions of the Police Service.

“From what I understand, a person cannot be considered missing without being unheard of or unseen for 24 hours.”

Chase then added: “We do not want anybody to pass the buck to us.

“The officers will be afforded their rights with due process of the law.

“No police officer can be happy with what happened.

“It is time both civilians and police come together to find a way of addressing the crime problem.”

Chase lamented the conditions police officers are forced to work under and said the lack of resources within the Police Service needs to be addressed urgently.

For three years, Chase explained, not one police constable has been promoted, and there is still an outstanding salary negotiation to be completed.

“If they are responsible for any wrong-doing, they will face their punishment, but we want to make sure they get a fair trial in the scheme of things,” Chase concluded.