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THE post-mortem on 13‑year‑old Zara Qairina Mahathir has been completed after about eight hours, said the family's lawyer, Shahlan Jufri.
He witnessed the autopsy at the request of Zara Qairina's family.
The autopsy began at about 11am today at the Forensic Department of Queen Elizabeth I Hospital and was completed before 8pm.
The teenager's body is expected to be taken to the Tanjung Ubi Islamic Cemetery in Sipitang for burial.
The Form One student at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar reportedly fell from the third floor of the dormitory building and was found unconscious near a drain at 4 am, July 16.
The exhumation of Zara Qairina's grave at the Tanjung Ubi Islamic Cemetery yesterday took more than an hour before being completed at 7.31 pm after starting at 6.04 pm.
Earlier, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor appealed for public restraint and confidence in the legal process.
He warned against unfounded assumptions and urged reliance on verified sources regarding the investigation into Zara’s death.
"We, as the state government, sympathise with the family over what has happened. However, the public should not make all sorts of assumptions. Let the legal process run its proper course... place your trust in the police to carry out their investigation, and the findings will be announced once the investigation is complete."
Outside the hospital’s forensic department, a crowd of approximately 100 people waited throughout the day—some enduring sweltering heat, others seeking shelter from sudden rain—yet all remained steadfast. Among them were delivery workers who had not left the vicinity since early morning.
The call for re-exhumation was issued by the Attorney General’s Chambers on Friday, stating that a full autopsy was necessary to allow thorough police investigation. Authorities hope final findings will soon bring closure to a case that has gripped the state. – August 10, 2025
The infographic by Bernama (above) explains the sequence of what had transpired.