KCBD Investigates: Texas Medical Board investigates Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - The KCBD Investigates Team has discovered the Texas Medical Board is investigating the Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office and the chief medical examiner.

As we first reported in September of last year, Lubbock County commissioners approved a one-year contract with National Autopsy Assay Group Pathology Labs out of San Diego, California.

NAAG performs all forensic pathology services and employs the staff, including Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Sam Andrews.

County commissioners said by outsourcing work to this medical organization, it save taxpayers 12% or just more than $330,000 in the 2018-2019 budget.

Through a Public Information Act request, the KCBD Investigates Team obtained copies of everything the Texas Medical Board requested from the Medical Examiner’s Office, including subpoenas.

SEE DOCUMENTS BELOW:

The Texas Medical Board, an oversight agency that has the authority to conduct licensing and disciplinary actions, requested two child autopsy reports from the Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office and numerous documents surrounding Andrews.

Those documents include Andrews' employment application, credentials and documents of special training or certifications, job description, performance evaluations, investigations into patient care issues, other complaint investigations, behavior issues, peer reviews, and any inappropriate staff violations.

In addition to those documents, the board also requested a copy of the management contract between the Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office and NAAG.

It is a contract the KCBD Investigates Team requested months ago, but the county sent our request to the Texas Attorney General, in part claiming it would implicate the proprietary interests of NAAG and should be withheld from public disclosure.

The board also requested the autopsy reports and all investigative reports for two-year-old Zaydrian Guerra and 3-year-old Delany Tercero.

The KCBD Investigates Team also requested those autopsy reports, and while we wait for a response, we have confirmed with the Odessa Police Department that Guerra died from reported abuse.

Tercero reportedly died in a Midland County home explosion.

We will continue to keep you updated on the latest on this investigation.

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