Doctor reveals Chantal Pasqualle-Hoorn's critical condition in Duncan Hoorn murder trial

<p>The court heard that patients arriving at the trauma unit are assessed using a triage system that determines the severity of their injuries and how urgently they require treatment.</p>

<p>Based on her vital signs, triage score and overall condition, Giles said Pasqualle-Hoorn required immediate intervention.</p>

<p>What concerned him most, however, was not only the visible injuries but her level of consciousness.</p>

<p>According to Giles, Pasqualle-Hoorn arrived with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 12 out of 15, placing her in the category of a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.</p>

<p>The Glasgow Coma scale is a medical tool used worldwide to assess a person's level of consciousness and determine the severity of a brain injury.</p>

<p>The score is calculated using three categories: eye opening, verbal responses and motor responses.</p>

<p>Chantal Pasqualle with her husband Duncan “Lord” Hoorn.</p>

<p>Image: Supplied</p>

<p>He explained the lower the score, the more severe the patient and explained that patients with a score between 9 and 12 usually suffered significant brain injury. </p>

<p>The court heard that while Pasqualle-Hoorn was able to open her eyes spontaneously, she could only utter isolated words and was unable to form sentences.</p>

<p>"She wasn't orientated to who she was or where she was," Giles testified.</p>

<p>Her motor responses were also impaired, with the doctor explaining that she could respond to pain but was unable to follow commands normally.</p>

<p>Medical observations taken shortly after her arrival further raised alarm bells.</p>

<p>The court heard her pulse rate was recorded at 144 beats per minute, significantly higher than the normal range of between 60 and 80 beats per minute.</p>

<p>Her blood pressure was also <a href="https://weekendargus.co.za/2026-06-10-watch-and-listen-murder-accused-duncan-hoorn-pleads-for-forgiveness-in-emotional-voicenotes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lower than expected and blood tests revealed reduced haemoglobin levels.</a></p>

<p>Giles explained that all three findings could be indicative of bleeding on the brain.</p>

<p>The doctor then described the extensive injuries observed during his examination.</p>

<p>"She had extensive bruising on the right thigh and both arms posteriorly," he testified.</p>

<p>The court further heard she had multiple lacerations on her lower legs and injuries to both knees.</p>

<p>Concerned about the possibility of fractures and internal injuries, Giles authorised a series of scans and X-rays, including a full-body X-ray, CT scans of the brain and spine, and imaging of the abdomen.</p>

<p>"I wanted to exclude fractures because of the extensive bruising," he explained.</p>

<p>The CT scan of the brain was ordered because he was concerned that Pasqualle-Hoorn had suffered a traumatic brain injury or bleeding on the brain.</p>

<p>Additional scans were performed to determine whether she was bleeding internally.</p>

<p><strong>Cape Times</strong></p>

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