Mystery still surrounds the death of 59-year-old Kenneth Carter who died in the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital after being found in the basement of the new Seventh Day Adventist Church on King Street.

Carter, who was the father of two children was sleeping with other vagrants in the basement of the church. He was taken to the hospital on February 19 last year after he was found unconscious and frothing from the mouth, and died on March 22 from injuries to the brain.

While in the hospital doctors found that Carter had sustained fractures to his face and haemorrhaging and contusions to the brain. They were unable to say whether Carter had fallen in a drunken state or if he was struck during an attack.

However, Coroner the Wor. Charles-Etta Simmons ruled that Carter's death was caused by misadventure.

Pathologist Dr. John Winwick said that when drunk "a person can fall more heavily and injuries can be more severe. I have no idea whether Carter fell or if he was pushed but there were two separate bruises to the face and damage to the brain''.

But Dr. Andrew West reported that Carter had bruising to the left temple and eye and head injuries which would be consistent with a blow to the head.

"The injuries were due to violence or they were caused accidentally from a fall which was slightly likely. I believe the injuries were due to violence.'' A few of the people who lived in the basement of the church said they often saw a man lurking around the basement searching in people's clothes but they also said that they remember Carter tripping over some cement blocks and falling.

Longtime friend of Carter Joseph Paul told the court that he and Carter were out drinking the night before he was taken to the hospital.

"After drinking at the Social Club, we went back to the basement of the church. At 6 a.m. the next morning, I left Kenny in there. He had no marks on his face but I could not wake him up, I thought he was drunk.'' Investigating officer Det. Con Mike Chlebek told the court that Carter had worked at the incinerator plant and had no fixed abode for a number of years.

"He had been sleeping in the basement of the church while it was under construction and he was an alcoholic for most of his adult life. Carter was found faced down in an area of rubble and no fight was witnessed. The exact cause of his injuries may never be known.'' Ms Simmons said that the witnesses were most likely under the influence of alcohol during the time Carter sustained his injuries and there was no evidence that showed that he was violently attacked.