News
Shaylee Mejia’s death in South LA deemed accidental by officials.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner has ruled a 16-year-old girl’s death from blunt force head trauma an accident, sparking concerns from her family about the thoroughness and conclusiveness of officials in the case.
The girl’s mother has referenced video footage from a school fight that showed her daughter, Shaylee Mejia, sustaining head injuries just days before her death. Her mother, Maria Juarez, holds the high school accountable for failing to protect her daughter and questions how the medical examiner could label the death as accidental.
The decision on the girl’s death is one of many made by experts each year in Los Angeles County, with some cases like Shaylee’s raising doubts about the process.
Juarez expressed her outrage and disappointment with the determination, stating that she doesn’t understand why it was ruled an accident. Luis Carrillo, a civil rights attorney representing Juarez, has sought more information on how officials reached this conclusion but has not received any additional details. He is unsure if the medical examiner’s investigation included a review of the video from the fight.
The final autopsy report has been requested by The Times but is not yet complete. Odey Upko, the chief medical examiner in Los Angeles County, declined to comment on the case until the final report is available.
Carrillo and Juarez are contemplating obtaining an independent autopsy moving forward.
Although an accidental death ruling does not automatically close a case, the Los Angeles Police Department has concluded its investigation into Shaylee’s death, citing the accidental death determination as the reason. Little additional evidence has been provided, and further inquiries were directed to the medical examiner’s office.
A previous statement from an LAPD spokesperson indicated that Shaylee had fallen before her death but did not offer many details. Carrillo is still examining the case with intentions of eventually pursuing legal action.
The Times consulted forensic pathologist experts regarding what an accidental death ruling entails, how such a decision is reached, and whether it could potentially change in the future.
Table of Contents
What is a ‘manner of death’?
The manner of death is a key determination following an autopsy, alongside the cause of death. It pertains to the circumstances surrounding how an injury or disease led to a person’s death. There are five possible conclusions for the manner of death: Natural, suicide, homicide, accident, and undetermined.
This assessment is made after a thorough autopsy and additional investigation, as stated by Iain M. McIntyre, a forensic toxicologist consultant.
How is that different from cause of death?
The cause of death refers to the medical reason why a person died, unlike the manner of death which focuses on the circumstances surrounding the death. While the cause of death is usually clear from the autopsy, determining the manner of death can take more time.
How do forensic pathologists make such a decision?
Forensic pathologists consider various factors such as hospital records, police reports, toxicology reports, and autopsy findings to determine the manner of death. They conduct an independent investigation but may also rely on outside information.
Deciding between an accident and homicide can be challenging, especially in cases where an injury led to death. The determination can change with new information, and videos can sometimes play a role in investigations.
How is that determination used?
The manner of death is a medical determination, not a legal one, although law enforcement and prosecutors can use it in their cases. However, it does not dictate outcomes in the legal system, where different factors are considered.
An accidental death could still lead to criminal or civil liability, depending on the circumstances surrounding the incident.
News
Is now the right time to invest in gold as prices have cooled?
The price of gold has climbed to record highs recently and has remained strong through much of April. And, that growth continued until the precious metal traded at around $2,390 per ounce on April 19, 2024. But since, growth in the price of the precious metal has cooled, with gold’s price now hovering around $2,300 per ounce.
This lull in gold’s price may represent an investment opportunity.
In general, investing is centered around buying assets when prices are low and selling them when prices are high – generating a profit on the difference between the two. So, considering the declines in gold’s price over the past few days, now may be the time to make your investment. But is buying gold during this lull in prices really a good idea?
Compare your gold investment options among leading brokers now.
Gold prices have cooled. Should you buy in now?
With gold’s price down from recent highs, you may be wondering if now is the right time to buy in. There are several reasons the dip in gold’s price may represent an opportunity to buy. Here are some of the biggest:
Prices may rise again
If looking at a gold price chart shows anything for certain, it shows that changes in the overall growth of the medal come in fits and spurts. Periods of price growth are typically followed by periods of declines and vice versa.
But with inflation rising in recent months – and with gold’s reputation as a safe-haven asset that can hedge against inflation – it only makes sense that the price of the precious metal will eventually start to head up again in the future. While attempting to time that directional change may be tricky, buying the precious metal while the price is down gives you the opportunity to take advantage of any upward movement that may be ahead.
Add gold to your portfolio now before prices have a chance to rise.
You may be able to make a quick profit
Gold isn’t known as an asset in which you can earn a quick return, but in today’s market, that may be the case. Don’t forget that in January, gold was trading at just $2,000 per ounce. And, by mid-April, the commodity’s price had climbed to around $2,400 per ounce. That’s about 20% growth in a matter of months, much of which happened since March 1 – an impressive climb for any investment asset.
Perhaps more importantly, gold’s price growth through the beginning of 2024 shows that the commodity doesn’t have to be a buy and hold style investment that you keep in a safety deposit box or precious metal depository for years to come. There’s also the possibility that the commodity’s price could climb further ahead, making it a compelling way to potentially generate a quick profit.
There are other benefits of investing in gold
There are other benefits of investing in gold that have little to do with the price growth seen thus far in 2024 – or the lull in prices seen over the past couple of days. Those benefits include:
- Inflation protection: Gold has long been considered an inflation hedge, and for good reason. When inflation drives the prices of consumer goods and services up – and the value of the dollar down – gold’s price tends to rise. So, it could be used to maintain the value of your portfolio during inflationary economic conditions. That’s important in today’s economic environment as stubborn inflation continues to weigh on the value of the dollar.
- Portfolio diversification: Gold’s price doesn’t always move in the same pattern that bonds or stocks do. So, mixing a reasonable amount of gold into your portfolio (up to 10% of your portfolio assets) as a diversifier could protect you from losses should one or more of your traditional portfolio assets fall in value. “If you have less than 5% – 10% of your net worth in commodities & FX (forex), you should absolutely consider adding exposure to gold and other precious metals,” says Vijay Marolia, money manager and managing partner at the wealth management firm, Regal Point Capital.
The bottom line
Gold’s price has fallen from recent highs – which may represent an opportunity to tap into growth ahead. However, gold isn’t simply a “buy while it’s low and sell while it’s a high” kind of investment opportunity. The commodity can also protect your portfolio from the stubborn inflation we’ve seen thus far in 2024 while acting as a diversification tool that could increase your risk-adjusted portfolio returns. So, consider adding gold to your portfolio today while it has the potential to grow in value.
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