A Liberian-born U.S.-based forensic postmortem medicolegal death investigator, Dr. Rockefeller F. Cooper II has cast serious doubt on the official cause of death of Bigboy Flomo, whose body was discovered along ArcelorMittal Liberia’s railway in 2021.
Speaking at the St. Kennedy Funeral Parlor in Gbarnga, following an independent forensic examination, Dr. Cooper categorically stated that the previous autopsy findings – which claimed Flomo died from high-velocity blunt force trauma caused by a moving train – were not supported by physical evidence.
“I can say definitively that Bigboy Flomo did not die as a result of being struck by a moving train,” Dr. Cooper told reporters, citing his extensive experience in investigating train-related deaths.
The original autopsy conducted by Liberian pathologists Dr. Benedict Kolee and Dr. Zoeborn Kparteh in 2021 concluded that Flomo’s injuries were consistent with a fatal train impact. However, Dr. Cooper, following both external and internal examinations, found no such indications.
“The only notable injury was a fracture to the humerus—the upper arm bone,” he said. “There were no crushing injuries, no decapitations, nor pattern abrasions that are typically associated with train collisions.”
Dr. Cooper described the initial report as “inaccurate” but noted that his conclusions remain provisional pending a full review of the previous autopsy documentation submitted by Drs. Kolee and Kparteh.
The independent examination was requested by the Foundation for International Dignity (FIND), a Gbarnga-based human rights organization. FIND’s Executive Director, Aaron Juaquellie, welcomed Dr. Cooper’s involvement and called for a comprehensive reinvestigation into the mysterious circumstances of Flomo’s death.
“This case has always raised more questions than answers,” Juaquellie said. “Dr. Cooper’s findings give us legitimate grounds to demand justice and a full-scale inquiry.”
Also present at the event was Cecelia Sackie, fiancée of the late Bigboy Flomo. Visibly emotional, Sackie expressed disappointment over what she termed as “a cover-up” and called on the government to reopen the case.
“We’ve been grieving in pain and confusion for almost four years,” she said. “We want justice. We want the truth.”
Flomo was discovered unconscious on November 24, 2021, near Morris Davis Town in the Rock Crusher Community of Kokoya District, along ArcelorMittal Liberia’s railway. He later died from his injuries. ArcelorMittal Liberia has since denied any involvement, stating after internal reviews that no train-related incidents were recorded on the day in question.
The latest revelations from Dr. Cooper’s assessment may reignite public pressure and calls for accountability in what many have described as a highly suspicious and mishandled case.
As Liberia continues to struggle with trust in its justice system, this development adds urgency to the need for independent investigations into unexplained deaths.
Editor Note:
This is a developing story. Dr. Cooper is expected to release his final report following a thorough review of all prior autopsy materials.
