PHOTO: The open pit the child fell into
By King Brown, sarwahking@gmail.com
BUCHANAN, Liberia- A 48- year-old woman identified as Christiane Diop has been charged by Police in Grand Bassa County with negligent homicide in connection with the death of a seven-year-old boy, Roland Bar.
The incident occurred on Thursday, July 29, 2021, after little Roland fell into an open pit filled with water that has been allegedly abandoned for years behind her house in the sugarcane Farm Community in Buchanan.
Mr. James Papa Yekeku, Grand Bassa County Criminal Investigation Division Commander accused her of being the cause of the death of the little child, because she did not block, fence, or cover the pit filled with water. And mistakenly, the child fell into it and died.
“Accidentally, what happened was the lady ordered people to dig septic tank right behind her house and is obvious that water will come from underground to filled the pit because it’s raining and the children will not understand because they liked to play in the rain, so she’s the owner of the property and if anything happens she’s automatically responsible for it,” he added.
The CSD commander noted that she is expected to be forwarded to the County attorney’s office, Cllr. Pato Jarba, and thereafter, she will be forwarded to court for prosecution.
He used the medium to warn citizens to protect their water well and open pit for the safety of the children and older ones within their respective communities.
However, health workers and local leaders came in and after a thorough examination of the corpse, they reported that there was no foul play. The child died as a result of drowning in the open pit, they reported.
Meanwhile, community dwellers have since expressed regret over the sudden death of the seven years old boy who they said was a committed child.
They encouraged the boy’s relative and family members to remain clam, describing the horrific situation as worrisome and frustrating.
The cause of death from creeks, rivers, water wells and open pits in Grand Bassa County has been occurring frequently in the most recent times.
The body of a two-year-old boy identified as Mariam Guegue was discovered in a creek in district one after he had gone to fetch drinking water. This situation made many here astonished to see the boy’s corpse in the creek which is used as their main source of drinking water.