Published: June 24, 2025
MONROVIA – The Liberia Medical and Dental Council has dismissed rumors of organ harvesting in the death of 28-year-old Jamesetta Kugmeh, concluding that she died of kidney failure and internal complications, not from any surgical tampering.
At a press conference Tuesday, Council Chair Dr. Benetta Collins Andrews announced the findings of an official investigation, which followed weeks of public outrage, protests, and widespread social media speculation surrounding Kugmeh’s tragic death on May 20 at John F. Kennedy Medical Center.
“All her internal organs were intact,” Dr. Andrews said. “There were abnormalities in kidney function, but structurally, the organs were in place.”
The Council’s investigation—conducted by its Ethics and Grievance Committee and made up of independent medical experts—reviewed medical scans and laboratory results from JFK Hospital, ELWA’s Jamale facility, and the Ghana Teaching Hospital. Multiple CT scans and ultrasounds, according to the Council, confirmed there was no evidence of organ removal.
Rumors vs. Reality
Kugmeh’s death became a national flashpoint after her family and supporters alleged medical malpractice during a February cesarean section at ELWA Hospital. She never fully recovered, eventually being flown to Ghana for advanced treatment before returning to Monrovia, where she died.
Her case gripped the nation as her personal messages from her hospital bed went viral. In one particularly haunting post, she wrote: “I walked into ELWA healthy and hopeful, but I am now fighting for my life… I want to die knowing why you killed me.”
The public backlash escalated just before her death, with demonstrators gathering in Congo Town to demand justice. Protesters carried signs reading “Justice for Jamesetta” and “Our Health System is Bleeding.” Family members claimed her condition sharply deteriorated following the cesarean section, which they described as botched.
“She went to bring life into this world and lost hers instead,” a relative said during the protest. “We will not stop until someone takes responsibility.”
Liberia Medical and Dental Council Chair Dr. Benetta Collins said Kugmeh died of complications from acute kidney failure, massive internal bleeding, and disseminated intravascular coagulation
Council Findings and Medical Cause
According to the Council’s report, Kugmeh died of complications from acute kidney failure, massive internal bleeding, and disseminated intravascular coagulation—a condition in which the blood’s clotting mechanisms break down, leading to uncontrolled bleeding.
The Council emphasized the findings were based on scientific and diagnostic evidence, not speculation.
“We do not deal in sentiment,” Dr. Andrews said. “We deal in evidence and science.”
She said the organs were found to be structurally intact based on radiological and clinical evaluations conducted in both Liberia and Ghana.
Room for Further Action
While the Medical Council’s report clears the specific allegation of organ removal, it does not address potential negligence during Kugmeh’s initial surgery. Dr. Andrews acknowledged public concern and said the Council is open to further review.
“If the family is not satisfied with our findings, they are free to seek other avenues for recourse,” she said. “We encourage constructive engagement, and we are committed to accountability.”
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