The body of Daelena Mackay, daughter of Hollywood actor Dwayne Adway, has been in a morgue for weeks as her parents challenge the ruling of her death as a suicide by LAPD.
Authorities claim Daelena, whose father appeared in “CSI,” “NYPD Blue,” “ER,” and “The Steve Harvey Show,” took her own life on May 23. She was reportedly found hanging by a scarf in her bathroom.
A man identifying as Daelena’s boyfriend called 911 and attempted to revive her, but she could not be saved. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner did not perform an autopsy, citing external examination and circumstances of the death as sufficient.
Dwayne Adway expressed suspicion about his daughter’s death. “I’m trying to apply pressure to the LAPD,” he told The Post. “They are not looking further into the case. This happens often in LA with black and brown girls whose deaths are written off as suicides.”
Elaine Mackay, Daelena’s mother, also voiced her concerns. She pointed out suspicious injuries and criticized the lack of an autopsy. “Her body tells a different story than what police are saying,” she told the Daily Mail. Elaine described bruises, bleeding from two puncture wounds, and other injuries she discovered while examining her daughter’s body herself.
Adway disagreed with the need for an autopsy, stating it would not clarify the manner of Daelena’s death. Daelena was living at the El Centro Hollywood building while studying at Los Angeles City College.
Elaine Mackay added that the man who called the police was not the same boyfriend Daelena had in Texas. She insisted Daelena was not suicidal, having seen a therapist the day before her death who found no signs of depression or suicidal tendencies. Elaine described her daughter as full of life and excited about her future, including a poetry contest and her upcoming 21st birthday.
Adway shared his grief, saying, “I am heartbroken and grieving the loss of my beautiful, smart, and talented daughter.” He seeks a full LAPD investigation to uncover the truth.
Elaine accused her ex of not fully funding a private autopsy for their daughter. “This autopsy is crucial, and I don’t understand why her father would choose to forgo it when he has the money,” she said. Daelena’s body has been at the mortuary since June 18.
Adway countered, stating he consulted two private forensic pathologists who told him their findings would align with the medical examiner’s. “The issue is not that she was strangled, but the manner in which she was strangled,” he said. “That is up to the LAPD to investigate.”
He also mentioned meeting the man who called 911 about his daughter and having concerns about his behavior, though he declined to name him. The medical examiner was unavailable for comment.
