Google News
The grief-stricken mother of Dexter Wade, the Mississippi man tragically killed in an accident involving a Jackson police car, found herself reeling from a second blow as authorities exhumed her son's body without the presence of family members, contrary to the planned schedule.
The intended exhumation, slated for Monday at 12:30 p.m. local time, with the inclusion of family, lawyers, media representatives, and community members, transpired abruptly at 9 a.m., leaving Bettersten Wade, Dexter's mother, distraught and seeking answers.
The family's attorney, Ben Crump, who actively participated in the exhumation process to facilitate an independent autopsy, expressed concern over the mother's state of mind, noting her continued lack of responsiveness and deep trauma stemming from these events.
Hinds County Administrator Kenny Wayne Jones issued an apology, attributing the miscommunication to the unexpected shift in the exhumation timing. Dexter Wade lost his life in an unfortunate incident involving a collision with a police car on March 5.
Compounding the tragedy, the coroner identified him through drugs found in his pocket, several days after being laid to rest. The Jackson police claimed challenges in notifying Wade's family promptly due to outdated contact information, leading to his mother reporting him missing on March 14 and learning of his death only on August 24, six months later.
Acknowledging their failure to connect the missing persons report with Wade's tragic demise, the police clarified that their investigation did not reveal any malicious intent on the part of the involved personnel. Despite the acknowledgment of the tragic accident, the grieving mother, Bettersten Wade, emphasized the persistent lack of closure regarding the circumstances of her son's death.
In response to the unfolding events, the city of Jackson released a statement to CNN expressing regret for the lack of communication and detailing the absence of any malicious intent in the accident. Furthermore, the Jackson Police Department announced a newly implemented death notification policy on Monday, aimed at improving communication with families in similar situations, emphasizing their commitment to providing the best possible service to citizens.
Police Chief Joseph Wade conveyed this information during a press conference, seeking to address the shortcomings revealed by Dexter Wade's case.