PHOTO: Some of the shocked residents who rushed to the scene
By J. Peter S. Dennis, dennisrealone@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia– Time after time, pits are dug and left opened around, serving as death trap, with the latest one claiming the life of a five-year-old boy in the central Bong County.
Residents of Barwulo Quarter Community in Gbarnga are still in shock, following the drowning of little Daniel Anthony in the open pit in the afternoon hours of Monday, June 27, 2022.
Similar incidents of this kind have happened in various communities across Liberia over the years.
Upon hearing the news, many residents of the area rushed to the scene only to find the child dead, after he had gone out to walk about in the community.
It’s not however clear how it really happened, as the child had not gone to the open well to fetch water.
The lifeless body of the boy lying on the surface after being pulled out of the well
Some residents thought that the child might have slipped off the top of the well or probably he was running and mistakenly fell into the open well.
Well dug in 1978
In an interview with www.newspublictrust.com here, Sam S. Mulbah Jr. who is believed to be the owner of the well, explained that the well was dug back in 1978 and over the years it has been very helpful to his family and residents of the community.
“All of the people who live around here, including the police fetch water from this well and anytime I mention about collecting money to refurbish the well all these people can’t contribute a cent,” Mr. Mulbah said.
“Early this morning people drew water from the well as usual and I left for the market. When I returned, I was sitting alongside my wife, while she was preparing our food stuffs; all of a sudden a little girl came running towards us to hint us that she saw a lifeless body in the well,” the owner of the well further explained.
The well is about 2 minute-walk from the Liberia National Police Bong detachment depot just along the old Ganta-parking station in Gbarnga.
According to him, he had on several occasions warned parents from sending their under-aged children to fetch water considering its dilapidated condition- a quest he says parents have not accepted.
“This was because children do go astray and we as parents should resist them when they want to live recklessly,” said Mr. Mulbah.
Prior to the pathetic incident, he had complained to officers assigned at Gants Parking police depot to demand parents from sending their children to the well but he says, “my complaints were usually downplayed by them”, Mr. Mulbah said.
No officer could confirm or deny the allegation as they say it lies in the preview of the Gbarnga City Corporation (GCC)- the body responsible for sanitation in Gbarnga.
The parents of the deceased couldn’t comment as they were in tears.
Meanwhile, upon the discovery of the corpse police later quarantined as he was buried as instructed by the Crimes Investigation Department of the Bong County Police Detachment.
As a result of little Anthony’s demise, the Gbarnga City Corporation (GCC) through its city inspector, Mr. Sekou M. Jabateh has launched immediate inspection of open wells and septic tanks across Gbarnga.
Mr. Jabateh said, during the inspection those caught with open wells and open septic tanks will be immediately forwarded to the court in order for legal actions to be taken against them.
He however, expressed sadness over the death of little Daniel Anthony and frowned at parents who usually don’t pay keen attention to their children.
He added that, the mournful situation of little Daniel, should serve as a wake-up call to parents who usually don’t pay keen attention to their children’s movements in the country.
Meanwhile, the Liberia National Police Bong detachment is yet to begin proper investigation to establish the major cause of little Daniel Anthony’s death.