Alex Silva Direct Flashcards
- Please introduce yourself for the jury.
Alex Silva
- What brings you here today, Ms. Silva?
I was a passenger on the Mid-Riverina Express from April 22nd to 25th, 2024.
- Why were you on the MRE?
As the Commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation, I’ve been working to finalize a new training program for Midlands firefighters based in Australia. I was heading to Perth as a representative of the Midlands government, but I wanted to see some sights first so I settled on the MRE.
- What led up to you becoming the Commissioner?
After graduating, I originally worked as a firefighter in Midlands. After a while I decided to retire from firefighting and transition to a desk position with the DPR. In 2023, the governor appointed me the Commissioner.
- Why did you decide to retire from firefighting?
In 2022, I responded to a fire at the Black Bear Casino in Midlands. I lost a lot of good friends in the fire. It made me realize I couldn’t keep putting myself in danger like that, so I retired from firefighting altogether.
- I see. How did you hear about the Mid-Riverina Express?
I saw a post from Kelly Doos, an old firefighting buddy of mine who responded to the casino fire as well actually. It was their post that convinced me to take the MRE.
- Can you describe the first night on the train?
I attended a welcome dinner, along with a reception immediately after.
- Did you recognize anyone from Midlands on the train?
Harley Kim and Dana Haskins, whom I was seated with at the welcome dinner. During the reception, I also spotted Avery Bancroft and Kelly Doos.
- From the welcome dinner, how did you know Harley Kim?
I spoke to them the night of the Black Bear Casino Fire, as they were reporting for Blitz News Network. They said they didn’t actually remember me though, which was surprising.
- Why do you find it surprising that Harley Kim didn’t remember you?
I talked to them about Bancroft, and they reassured me it was okay to be upset with him. They also mentioned something about Bancroft bankrupting their sibling. I’m guessing Kim must’ve been drinking to not remember me, but I never saw them with alcohol.
- Kim mentioned Mr. Bancroft, who you also recognized on the train. How did you know him?
He was the owner of the now-gone Black Bear Casino.
- What about Dana Haskins?
After the casino fire, my firefighter friends were sent to Haskins for therapy. They were making progress until Haskins abruptly quit, leaving them hanging. It really strained our relationship.
- As for the rest of the trip, let’s start with April 23rd. What did you do after waking up?
I woke up early and wasn’t expecting to see anyone, but ran into Kelly and Taylor Hopson in the lounge. They abruptly stopped talking when I walked in. I tried making small talk, asking Kelly about their travel and influencer life, but they weren’t very talkative, so I eventually left.
- What happened at breakfast following that interaction?
I saw Harley Kim in the dining car and joined them for breakfast. Bancroft’s assistant, Kirby Doolittle, eventually joined us as well. The bartender eventually brought us a few rounds of Bloody Marys, in which Kirby and I indulged in. Harley didn’t have any though, they were sipping on a flask the whole time.
- What did you do after breakfast?
There was an excursion to Silver City, but Harley suggested that Kirby and I sleep off the Bloody Mary’s. I decided to stay, but Kirby went on the excursion to stay with Mr. Bancroft.
- Was there an excursion after this as well?
Yes. We had two options, and I chose the Southern Australian Museum.
- And how did this excursion go?
It was uneventful. Mr. Bancroft spent most of the trip talking to one of the train employees about legal matters. I just talked to Ashley and Bailey Connel a little.
- What happened after you returned from the museum?
Well, I went to the lounge hoping for some quiet. I instead saw Bancroft sitting and talking with another person whom I couldn’t see from where I was standing.
- Could you hear their conversation?
Yes. Mr. Bancroft was yelling at the other person, and his voice was so harsh it would have made me cry.
- Were you the only person that could hear the conversation?
After Bancroft left, Harley came and consoled them.
- Could you overhear their conversation as well?
Yes. It was harder to hear, but the other person was complaining to Harley about Bancroft. They said, “Remember what happened to Cory? That’s not going to happen to me. I won’t be working for him much longer.”
- And you didn’t recognize the voice?
Not at the time. However, I ran into Kirby Doolittle the next day and I realized that Kirby sounded like the person talking to Bancroft.
- Did you mention it to them?
I said sorry about the situation. Kirby’s face went flush when I brought it up though and asked me not to tell anyone.
- I see. Moving on, can you describe what you saw the morning of April 25th, 2024, on the MRE?
I woke up to screams and footsteps in the corridor. I followed it into Cabin 1, where I found Dr. Edmund performing CPR on a seemingly unresponsive Avery Bancroft. Kirby Doolittle was also there standing to the side.
- What did you do when you saw the scene?
Well while working as a firefighter, I also became EMT certified, so I started assisting Dr. Edmund. I picked up a yellow legal pad and purple pen that was in Bancroft’s hand, and began taking notes on Bancroft’s condition.
- In regards to your expertise, can you describe your professional qualifications and training regarding your time as an EMT?
In addition to my work as a firefighter, I also became an EMT by completing a 40-hour Emergency Response Training Course for certification, and I’ve taken another 40-hour course every two years since. I’ve also completed over 300 hours of classroom training.
- Did this education include training for emergency medical situations?
Yes. I would say about a third was devoted to handling emergency medical situations.
- What is your experience in heart-related emergencies?
I’m licensed to perform CPR. During my 10 years as a firefighter, probably over 90 of the 400 people that I treated were heart-related emergencies.
- Ms. Silva, do you recognize this document? (Exhibit 39)
Yes it is a copy of the notes I took upon entering the scene.
- Is this a fair and accurate copy of the notes you took?
It is.
- In your notes you wrote, “assistant says AB has medical issues.” Can you elaborate on this?
Yes. When I started taking notes, I asked Kirby if Bancroft had any medical conditions that could explain a heart attack. He hesitated but eventually said no. In the chaos, I must’ve missed writing “no” in “no medical issues.” It was a simple mistake.
- Thank you. Moving on, what was Dr. Edmund’s opinion on how Bancroft died?
That is also looked like a heart attack. Dr. Edmund also mentioned that he could’ve been poisoned.
- Did you agree with them?
I agree that it looked like a heart attack. However, I disagree that there was poison involved.
- Why do you disagree that there was poison involved?
There was no reason to think that. None of the signs were present of a heart attack induced by poison or a foreign substance.
- What are some signs of a heart attack induced by poisoning?
For example, you might notice discoloration around the mouth, vomiting, unexplained substances on or around the body, or other unusual signs. There was also no leftover food or drink present in the room that could’ve contained poison either. There was an empty teacup lying near Bancroft, but it disappeared before I got the chance to inspect it.
- Ms. Silva, do you recognize this document? (Exhibit 40b)
Yes, it is a bottle of concentrated banana extract. I saw Taylor with it when we collided, and the contents of their bag spilled out.
- What other contents spilled out of Taylor’s bag when you two collided?
There was a pair of sunglasses, some lotion, and a teacup with some loose leaf tea.
- Can you be absolutely sure that the teacup you saw in Taylor’s possession, was also the teacup you saw in Bancroft’s room the morning he died?
No, I can’t be sure.
- What is your opinion then of how Bancroft died?
From the information that I had, I believe that he died of a naturally occurring heart attack?
- What is your reasoning behind this?
Bancroft was not a paragon of health. Throughout the trip, I noticed him struggling to catch his breath, sweating during meals, or needing to sit down frequently. Given his age, I’m not surprised he had a heart attack. However, I have not seen his autopsy nor am I immediately knowledgeable of any prior medical history.
- If you thought Bancroft had an underlying health condition (such as CKD), would that have an impact on your expert opinion regarding his cause of death?
Potentially. Some underlying health complications may exacerbate his propensity to have a heart attack, and there may be other causes that are not clear to the naked eye. I based much of my conclusion on what Kirby Doolittle told me at the scene.
- Are you able to make a diagnosis without the autopsy or knowledge of prior medical history?
Not in good faith, which is why I relied on the information from Kirby Doolittle on the scene for my opinion. I would need more information to make a proper diagnosis.
