Gianna Maria Onore Bryant, also known as “Gigi”, was a young and talented basketball player who sadly shocked fans and the sports community with her tragic death, along with her beloved father, who was also the best former basketball player, Kobe Bryant.
Case’s Outline
On January 26, 2020, a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter carrying Gigi and Kobe, along with seven other passengers, crashed in the city of Calabasas, California, while en route to a basketball game at Kobe’s Mamba Sports Academy in Newbury Park. Well, it tragically killed all passengers, including Ara Zobayan, the pilot.
This aircraft crash was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and concluded that the accident was caused by a “navigator’s misjudgement” that caused the helicopter to enter a low cloud layer, causing the pilot to lose orientation and then lose control.
Unfortunately, Gigi and Kobe’s autopsy sketch and report quickly spread, although the investigation was not complete. Sure, it led her mother, Vanessa Bryant, to file a lawsuit against the LA County Sheriff’s Department, the party that allegedly distributed the post-mortem illustration secretly to colleagues, family, and friends.
But today, their autopsy report became public since the case was completely closed and the facts revealed that Gigi’s death was purely an accident. Okay, we’ll show you what was found in Gigi’s autopsy report. Let’s check it out below!
Gigi’s Autopsy Sketch: What Was Shown and Found?
Gigi’s autopsy sketch is very important in visually depicting the injuries suffered both inside and outside the body to accurately determine the cause of death. This can also be used as strong evidence if a potential murder case is discovered.
Forensic experts from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner were entrusted with carrying out an autopsy on Gigi’s body. Her autopsy sketch was created to visually represent a clear and accurate picture of the injuries, as the picture shows:
Any injuries depicted in Gigi’s autopsy sketch could be key to understanding and concluding Gigi’s cause of death, including the location of the injuries, their nature, and their severity.
The sketch also provides information about Gigi’s appearance, including facial features, hair color, and different characteristics that could help with her identification.
Gigi’s autopsy sketch also showed multiple fractures to his head, pelvis, and ribs, as well as severe damage to his soft tissue. Reportedly, it occurred since her spine penetrated his skull, resulting in the loss of brain matter.
Here’s the detail:
- External Injuries: Multiple abrasions were found and involved the head, torso, upper, and lower extremities. There are areas of contusion to the anterior torso, face, right upper extremity, and bilateral proximal anterior lower extremities.
- Internal Injuries: There are multiple comminuted and displaced skull fractures, most prominent at the basilar skill, with scant calvarium fragments present. The finding was based on the large laceration to the forehead and scalp.
- Initial incision: Gigi’s body cavities are entered through the standard Y-shaped incision. A coronal incision was not required because of traumatic injuries. There’s no material found in the mount, trachea, or upper airway.
- Neck: Organs on the neck are removed en bloc with the tongue. No edema of the larynx; no abnormalities of the lips, gingiva, or oral mucosa. No hemorrhages were found in the adjacent throat organs, and there were no fractures on the hyoid bone, larynx, or superior horns of the thyroid cartilage.
- Chest: No free blood; adhesions within the pleural cavities. The parietal pleura are unmarkable except for previously described injuries. Scant, patchy blood coats the surfaces more on the left than on the right.
More observations were made on systems and organs, and they found the following findings:
- Musculoskeletal system: No abnormalities of the visualized bony framework or muscles.
- Cardiovascular system: The aorta is elastic and of even caliber throughout, with vessels distributed normally from it.
- Respiratory system: The upper and lower bronchial passages are unremarkable on the right and contain scant blood in the lower respiratory passages on the left.
- Genital system: The uterus is symmetrical, and the uterine cavity is not enlarged.
- Urinary system: The kidneys are normally situated.
- Special senses: The middle and inner ears are not dissected. The eyes are not dissected.
To see the complete version of Gigi’s autopsy sketch and report, you can download it here. https://www.docdroid.net/bshYyfF/gb-pdf
Gigi’s Autopsy Report: What Caused Her Death?
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner conducted an autopsy on Gigi to reveal the cause of her death in the helicopter crash. The autopsy report actually provided important details about Gigi’s health, including her injuries, the toxicology tests, and pre-existing conditions.
The Medical Examiner-Coroner forensic specialists and medical experts who got involved in Gigi’s autopsy have examined and provided their analysis and interpretations of Gigi’s autopsy report. And they revealed that the cause of Gigi’s death is attributed to blunt trauma, as it shows:
Severe fatal head and neck injuries include upper cervical cord transection, severe skull fractures, and brain avulsion. No alcohol or drugs were found in his system, so the toxicology studies were negative, ruling out any health problems that may have played a role in her death.
What is Blunt Trauma, the Gigi’s Cause of Death?
Blunt trauma is a type of physical injury that occurs when a part of the body is hit by a blunt object or collides with a blunt surface. Unlike penetrating trauma, which involves an object piercing the skin and entering the body, blunt trauma does not cause an open wound.
Even though it doesn’t leave wounds either on the surface of the body or inside the body, blunt trauma can still cause serious damage to the skin, muscles, bones, internal organs, and blood vessels, making an individual have internal bleeding.
Blunt trauma presents some of the common symptoms, such as swelling, bruising, fractures, pain, bleeding, and loss of function. Even though it occurs in one part of the body, it can still affect the entire body.
Blunt trauma often occurs in the head, abdomen, pelvis, and chest.
- On the head, it can cause a skull fracture, concussion, brain injury, or even death.
- On the chest, it can cause lung injury, rib fracture, aortic rupture, and heart injury.
- On the abdomen, it can cause spleen injury, kidney injury, liver injury, bladder injury, or bower injury.
- On the pelvis, it can cause pelvic fracture, genital injury, or hip dislocation.
Physical examination, blood tests, imaging tests, and other procedures are the series of examinations used to diagnose blunt trauma.
Depending on the severity and location of the injury, blunt trauma may include wound care, pain relief, blood transfusion, immobilization, surgery, and/or intensive care. Some possible complications of blunt trauma may happen, such as infection, shock, bleeding, disability, or organ failure.
Conclusion
The tragic helicopter crash that took the lives of at least nine people, including retired basketball player Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna Bryant, left deep wounds for his family and fans.
Gigi’s autopsy report stated that blunt trauma was recorded as the main cause of death. Traces of helicopter fuel were also detected on the victims’ clothing, highlighting how horrific the crash was and that none of the passengers survived.
There’s no doubt that the deaths of Gianna Byrant and her legendary father, Kobe Byrant, had an impact on the world of sports, especially basketball. Many have lost an inspirational figure and promising young sportsman because her life was so short.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
