A baby lost her life after she was allegedly given paraffin to drink by her mother in Driefontein.
It is believed that the little girl was crying during the night, and the mother woke up and tried to give the child something to drink. It is alleged that she took a bottle on a bedside table and poured liquid from the bottle into a cup for the child.
The child immediately started coughing.
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It was then that the mother’s boyfriend realised she might have inadvertently given the child paraffin to drink.
The baby girl was rushed to a local hospital, where she died. Ladysmith police have opened a murder docket and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
The mother has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Safety tips concerning paraffin
* This product should be handled with extreme care, as it is flammable.
* Paraffin is poisonous and if swallowed, can be fatal.
* If a child accidentally swallows paraffin, do not give them anything to drink or eat. Instead, get the child medical attention as soon as possible.
* Never try to make someone who has swallowed paraffin vomit. This could force the paraffin fumes into the lungs and cause serious complications.
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