Boy (9) dies from possible rat poison

Duduza – A nine-year-old boy has died, and his three siblings are in hospital after allegedly eating snacks laced with rat poison.

Thembinkosi Ngema fell ill on Thursday night, soon after eating a packet of crisps bought at a stall close to his home.

“We were expecting load-shedding at 20:00, so I asked them to buy tomatoes. It was past 19:00,” explained Zanele Khumalo, the children’s mother.

“They went and returned quickly, and one of them gave me the tomatoes. I did not see that they had anything else,” said Khumalo.

As expected, the power went off at 20:00.

“Soon after it went dark, I could hear the children fidgeting but did not make much of it.

“Then I heard Thembinkosi ask one of his sisters to bring the candle closer to him.

“After inspecting his packet, he said rat droppings were in his snacks. He said they taste weird.

“But by then, there was not much left in the packet,” added Khumalo.

Minutes after that, the boy complained of a headache.

“I asked his sister to give him water. He was so weak he couldn’t even hold the glass to drink from it.

“And then he said he could no longer see anything. He was shaking,” said Khumalo.

That is when the children’s father, Muzi Ngma, decided to head to the hospital. The parents left the three children at home and drove to Pholosong Hospital, less than 10km from their home.

“He vomited while we were on the way. And I could just feel his body giving in,” recalled Khumalo.

She said they arrived at the hospital’s emergency room and were attended to immediately.

“I could see that all the doctors were trying to revive my son, but it was too late. They did what they could,” she added.

Thembinkosi was certified dead. The doctors then asked the pair what had happened.

Realising the other children could also have eaten the snacks, the doctors arranged for an ambulance to fetch Thembinkosi’s siblings.

“They did not want the children’s father to drive, but he insisted. When Muzi reached the house, the other children were conscious.

“It was only after they got to the hospital that Ayabonga (11) started showing the same symptoms as Thembinkosi,” explained Khumalo.

Ayabonga was admitted and is now in ICU. Sihlesenkosi (six) and Enzokuhle (four) were also admitted but were not in critical condition.

“At this point, I can’t even say my mind is working or if this is really happening. I have so many questions and no real answers. I want justice for my children,” she said.

Khumalo also said SAPS investigators took what remained in the packets from the scene. Duduza SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Harry Manaka confirmed that an inquest was opened after the incident.

No arrests have yet been made.

ALSO READ: Melville Koppies is not just a bit of grass

ALSO READ: Springs hospitals welcome first babies of 2024