The family of 22-year-old Kenneth Cutting Jr., whose body was discovered last year in Buffalo Bayou, is requesting that the Houston Police Department reopen the investigation into his death following an acknowledged “clerical error” in his autopsy report. The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that information from another case was mistakenly included in the report but stated that the error did not affect its conclusions. Lauren Freeman, Cutting’s cousin, told KHOU, "The doctor that did his autopsy said, 'Oh, that was a mistake. It was for the body I did after that, but it was accidentally put in his medical report.'"
Concerns over safety in Houston’s bayous have intensified following the recovery of 24 bodies from the waterways this year. According to Houston Chronicle, police and Mayor John Whitmire maintain that the cases are unrelated, though many causes of death remain undetermined by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
The report identified several victims, including Douglas Swearingen, Carl Newton, Rodolfo Salas Sosa, and Anthony Azua, whose deaths were attributed to various accidental causes. As investigations continue, families of the deceased, including Cutting’s relatives, are requesting further transparency from authorities. Police have stated that all cases remain under review by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
