Police Mannequin Simulation Suggests Zara Qairina Fell Without External Force

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The inquest into the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir heard evidence yesterday, 9 September, from a police crime scene investigator who conducted mannequin simulations to test how the Form One student may have fallen from her school hostel building

Inspector Maidon Bernadus, from the Sabah police headquarters' Criminal Investigation Department, was the fifth witness to testify during the inquest, which began on 3 September.

Earlier testimonies were given by:
– Dr Jessie Hiu, forensic pathologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital
– Nurul Atiqah Mohd Noh, forensic document examiner from the Malaysian Chemist Department
– Dr Janefer Voo, trainee medical officer at Queen Elizabeth Hospital's Emergency and Trauma Department
– Dr Pavankumar Balachandran, medical officer at Queen Elizabeth Hospital's Neurosurgery Department

Maidon testified that his team carried out two simulations on 3 August at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha's hostel, where Zara was found unconscious in a drain on 16 July

According to Maidon, the simulations were done using a mannequin borrowed from Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which was modified to weigh about 53kg — similar to the deceased's estimated weight.

The dummy was released from the third floor of the hostel building under two different conditions: first, dropped vertically without a push, and second, with a slight forward shove.

According to Malay Mail, a video recording of the experiment, played in court, showed that the mannequin in the first test — without external force — landed in a position more consistent with police photographs of Zara's body at the scene.

In contrast, the second simulation, which included a push, landed further out on the grass.

Maidon told the court that the mannequin sustained the most damage to its legs and head upon impact, and produced a "loud boom" that he believed would have been similar to the sound of a human body hitting the ground, reported the Daily Express.

When questioned by lawyer Datuk Ram Singh, Maidon confirmed that the landing point in the first simulation was "almost the same" as the police photograph of Zara's body

He added that the experiment had been conducted at 3am to replicate the conditions of Zara's alleged fall.

Ram Singh requested that the mannequin be brought to court today, 10 September, for further examination of its damages as the inquest continues.