Argentine football legend Diego Maradona endured at least 12 hours of agony before his death, and his worsening condition should have been noticed by doctors days earlier, a forensic expert testified Thursday.

Carlos Cassinelli, director of Forensic Medicine at the Scientific Police Superintendency, revealed details of the autopsy performed on Nov. 25, 2020, the day Maradona died while under home care in Tigre, Buenos Aires.

“The heart was completely covered in fat and blood clots, which indicate agony,” Cassinelli said during the homicide trial of seven healthcare professionals accused of medical negligence.

Autopsy Findings and Negligence Allegations
Maradona’s autopsy concluded that he died of acute pulmonary edema caused by congestive heart failure.

“This is a patient who had been collecting water over the days; that’s not acute. This was something that was foreseeable,” Cassinelli stated. “Any doctor examining a patient would find this.”

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Prosecutors argue that the medical team responsible for Maradona’s care—including a neurosurgeon, psychiatrist, psychologist, doctors, and nurses—failed to provide adequate treatment, which allegedly contributed to his death.

During the investigation, witnesses reported noticing excessive swelling in Maradona’s face and abdomen in his final days.

Medical Team on Trial
Among the accused are Leopoldo Luque, Maradona’s personal physician for the last four years of his life, and psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, who prescribed medication that Maradona continued taking until his death.

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The trial is expected to scrutinize the care Maradona received during his convalescence, with prosecutors seeking to establish whether medical negligence played a direct role in his passing.

Source: With input from agency