NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The family of Kenny Oakey has his death certificate, and though they’ve heard explanations about what happened to him, they don’t believe them.

Oakey was a machinist at Colonna’s Shipyard and had been working there for about three months on Sept. 30. That’s when he was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital with a combination of severe injuries.

Worst among them was massive brain damage.

“They told us that they had to operate on his brain on two spots, and (the surgeon) said he’s never had to operate on somebody’s brain in two spots,” said brother Roy Oakey in a Monday afternoon interview with 10 On Your Side. “It’s the first time he’s ever done that.”

He also had 11 broken ribs, two fractures on his spine, a crushed collarbone and bruises on his neck, back, and chest.

His death certificate said Kenny Oakey died from blunt force trauma, falling from a ladder.
But his brother doesn’t believe that — and said the family has received several explanations.

“[One explanation said] they found him responsive, laying on the barge by herself,” Roy Oakey said. “Somebody said he fell off a ladder.

But he believes the severity and number of injuries are too great.

“It’s no way he fell from a five or seven foot ladder,” Roy Oakey said. “Somebody said they was moving a piece of equipment out the water and they dropped it on top of him.”

Colonna’s did not respond to our requests for comment.

Our investigative team found that OSHA noted a safety inspection at Colonna’s Shipyard on Oct. 2, two days after Kenny Oakey died. The notice mentions an accident and said the case remains open — but it gave no further details.

“I want the truth to come out,” Roy Oakey said. “I know we can’t bring our brother back. It’s going to be a long time before we get over this.”

The family has an attorney who said he’s working to uncover what really happened and is in touch with attorneys from Colonna’s.