PANAMA CITY, FL - Bay County's chief medical examiner released a statement late Thursday evening defending his autopsy results of 14 year-old Martin Lee Anderson, the boy who died just hours after his induction into the Bay County Sheriff's Office Boot Camp on January 5th.

Last month Dr. Charles Siebert, the chief medical examiner for Bay County, ruled Anderson died a natural death due to complications from sickle cell trait. Controversy ensued as the boy's family and other medical experts disputed Siebert's claim.

On Tuesday, the Hillsborough County state attorney's office said the initial results of a second autopsy conducted the day before showed Martin Anderson did not die of natural causes.

Siebert's statement defending his actions follows a letter sent to special prosecutor Mark Ober by three state senators earlier on Thursday, calling for the arrest of the boot camp personnel involved in the Anderson incident and the arrest of Siebert and Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen.

According to the Associated Press, Dr. Michael Baden, who observed the second autopsy for Anderson's family, told Florida lawmakers via phone on Friday that Anderson likely died because he couldn't breathe and that he was likely brain dead by the time he arrived at the hospital. The chairman of the state House Criminal Justice Appropriations Committee held his head in his hands at Baden's pronouncement during a morning conference call.

Martin Anderson's family will hold a news conference on Monday in response to Dr. Siebert's statement.

STATEMENT BY DR. CHARLES SIEBERT
BAY COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER

March 16, 2006

On January 6th, 2006, I conducted the original autopsy on Martin Lee Anderson. Based on Mr. Anderson’s medical records, the facts surrounding his death, and evidence available to me at the time of the autopsy, I concluded the cause of death to be hemorrhaging resulting from a complication of sickle cell trait; and that his manner of death was natural.

While I have the utmost respect for the pathologists involved in the second autopsy on Mr. Anderson, I stand behind my findings. My autopsy revealed that Mr. Anderson had sickle cell trait. The evidence revealed that on January 5th, 2006, prior to the incident with the drill instructors, Mr. Anderson, after doing push-ups and sit-ups, collapsed to the ground while running laps and complained of having difficulty breathing. This clearly indicates that Mr. Anderson was having medical problems prior to his interaction with the drill instructors. It is well documented in the medical literature that sudden idiopathic death after exercise is a risk associated with sickle cell trait.

In my expert opinion, the bruises found during the autopsy were not of a significant nature to affect cause of death. In addition, these types of injuries are not a risk of sickle cell trait, nor would they have initiated a sickle cell event.

My conclusion, based on more than a decade of practice, is that the exertion from exercise triggered Mr. Anderson’s sickle cell trait which caused Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC), resulting in hemorrhaging. Complications of sickle cell trait is the cause of death. Because exertion from exercise is a natural activity, I concluded the manner of death to be natural.

On March 13th 2006, I observed the second autopsy conducted by Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Dr. Vernard Adams. The results of the 12 hour autopsy have yet to be made public. It is not unheard of for pathologists and other medical experts to arrive at differing conclusions after reviewing the same case. I welcome the opportunity to review the findings and conclusions of the second autopsy.

As a medical professional, I am appalled at the baseless and mean spirited accusations from special interest groups with little or no knowledge of the evidence in this case who are calling for everything from the revocation of my license to criminal charges. I have a responsibility, inherent in my position, to review facts of a case and issue an expert unbiased opinion, which I did in Mr. Anderson’s case.