Cause of death ‘inconclusive’ for local veteran Dudley Bratton

Published 10:22 am Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Answers on the cause of death of a local veteran who died last week after allegedly falling while at the State Veterans Home in Oxford may be weeks away, according to police officials.

Dudley Bratton, 92, was transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi last week with a broken hip and possible other fractures. He was then transferred to The Med in Memphis where he died Wednesday night.

Oxford Maj. Jeff McCutchen said Monday that the initial report from the Medical Examiner’s Office in Jackson was “inconclusive” on the cause of death.

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“The body has been sent for additional testing,” McCutchen said Monday. “Those results will not be back for a few weeks.”

Lafayette County Coroner Rocky Kennedy said having an inclusive report is not uncommon.

“Further ancillary studies are being conducted,” he said Monday. “This is typical for 99 percent of examinations. Once completed, they will provide further details.”

OPD was notified by The Med of Bratton’s death last week and an investigation was opened; however, little details have been made available until all medical examination and autopsy reports are concluded.

No official statement has been made as to whether abuse is suspected

“The investigation is still ongoing,” McCutchen said.