George Floyd autopsy report reveals he had tested positive for coronavirus

Final autopsy report reveals George Floyd had CORONAVIRUS but died from ‘cardiopulmonary arrest’ after Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes

  • Hennepin County Medical Examiner released Floyd’s final autopsy report 
  • His official cause of death is cardiopulmonary arrest, after his heart stopped 
  • Autopsy also revealed Floyd had tested positive for Covid-19 on April 3
  • It states it most likely reflects asymptomatic ‘but persistent positivity
  • Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

George Floyd’s final autopsy report has revealed the 46-year-old had tested positive for coronavirus, but died from ‘cardiopulmonary arrest’ following his altercation with a Minneapolis police officer last Monday. 

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office released its official findings on Wednesday which showed Floyd was diagnosed with Covid-19 on April 3. 

The report notes that the positive result is likely from an old infection and it is believed the father-of-two was asymptomatic at the time of his death. 

‘The decedent was known to be positive for 2019-nCoV RNA on 4/3/2020. Since PCR positivity for 2019-nCoV RNA can persist for weeks after the onset and resolution of clinical disease, the autopsy result most likely reflects asymptomatic but persistent PCR positivity from previous infection,’ the report states. 

A medical examiner’s office on Monday ruled that George Floyd’s death was a homicide as they appeared to walk back initial reports that the 46-year-old (pictured) wasn’t strangled when a Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck during an arrest last week 

Bystander video showed Floyd pleading to be let up and saying repeatedly that he couldn't breath as Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground for nearly nine minutes. The medical examiner's finding that the death was a homicide by asphyxiation confirms the same conclusion of the independent autopsy that was also released on Monday, but there are key differences over the cause

Bystander video showed Floyd pleading to be let up and saying repeatedly that he couldn’t breath as Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground for nearly nine minutes. The medical examiner’s finding that the death was a homicide by asphyxiation confirms the same conclusion of the independent autopsy that was also released on Monday, but there are key differences over the cause

Floyd’s manner of death was ruled a homicide, matching the same conclusion from the independent autopsy ordered by his family earlier this week.  

The autopsy also notes he had a history of heart disease and had fentanyl and metamphetamine in his system – which were listed as ‘other significant conditions’. 

It comes after a preliminary autopsy last week said there was no evidence of ‘strangulation or asphyxia’.

On Monday, the medical examiner’s office appeared to walk back on those claims in a press release saying Floyd had ‘recent methamphetamine use’ and ‘fentanyl intoxication’, as well as hypertension and coronary artery disease – all of which were possible contributing factors to his death.

But two doctors who carried out that independent autopsy and two attorneys for his family disputed the findings saying Floyd had no underlying health conditions that may have contributed to his death. 

They argued that not only the officer who was kneeing Floyd’s neck killed him, but also two officers who were pressing their weight onto Floyd’s back while he was on the ground.

The Floyd family’s autopsy did not include toxicology results. 

Tou Thao is pictured

Derek Chauvin is seen in his mugshot. He was slapped with an additional second degree murder charge Wednesday

Tou Thao is pictured left, Derek Chauvin is seen at right. Chauvin was slapped with an additional second-degree murder charge Wednesday 

The three cops who watched on as Minneapolis police officer George Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck as he died are in custody after being charged with aiding and abetting second degree murder. J.A. Kueng is pictured

Thomas Lane is pictured

The three cops who watched on as Minneapolis police officer George Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck as he died are in custody after being charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. J.A. Kueng is pictured left, Thomas Lane is seen at right 

Dr Allecia Wilson of the University of Michigan, one of the two medical examiners hired to perform the independent autopsy, said evidence pointed to homicide by ‘mechanical asphyxia’ meaning from some physical force that interfered with oxygen supply.

Bystander video showed Floyd pleading to be let up and repeatedly saying ‘I can’t breathe’ as Chauvin pinned him to the ground for nearly nine minutes. 

Two other officers applied pressure with their knees to Floyd’s back while a fourth looked on.

Chauvin, who is white and was fired from the Minneapolis police department over the incident, was hit with third-degree murder and manslaughter charges last week as protests over Floyd’s death roiled the nation.

But Dr Michael Baden, who took part in the independent autopsy at the behest of Floyd’s family, said that the two other officers’ actions also caused Floyd to stop breathing.

‘We can see after a little bit less than four minutes that Mr Floyd is motionless, lifeless,’ Baden said.

He countered the argument that if Floyd could speak then he could breathe, saying: Many police are under the impression that if you can talk, that means you’re breathing. That is not true. 

‘I am talking right now in front of you and not taking a breath.’

Baden also refuted the idea that Floyd had coronary artery disease. In a comment in reference to his age group’s susceptibility to coronavirus, the 85-year-old quipped: ‘I wish I had the same coronary arteries that Mr Floyd had.’ 

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