AN eight-year-old boy demonstrated his love for his mother by buying her a red rose for Valentine’s Day on Thursday.
But hours later he was dead, following a fall at school when another student tried to take the rose from him.
Dead is Joshua Hubbard, of 46 Pere Street, Kitty, Greater Georgetown.

He died around 02:30hrs yesterday, while being treated at the Woodlands Hospital. A Grade 3 pupil of St. Margaret’s Primary School, he was the youngest of four children to his parents Orin and Roxanne Hubbard.
There was deep anguish at the home of the couple yesterday as loved ones, other mourners and sympathizers huddled together in a state of shock, and listened as the sorrowing mother recounted the circumstances leading up to her child’s death.
Mrs. Hubbard recalled that when Joshua returned home after school Thursday afternoon, he kissed her, said, “Mommy I love You,” and wished her a happy Valentine’s Day. Smiling, he presented her with the rose he’d bought for her.
The child then went on to relate an unfortunate encounter to her.  He said that after classes were dismissed, he was making his way down the stairs with the rose in his hand when another boy attempted to take it away from him. But Joshua held tightly on to the rose, insisting that it was for his mommy. Angry that he did not get the rose from Joshua, the boy pushed him and he tumbled down the stairs. He got up, rubbed his head and went home.
According to the child’s mother, he appeared not to be feeling pain when he got home. He told her he was hungry; had something to eat and played a bit in the yard. He even watched television with his sister before retiring to bed.
However, Mrs. Hubbard said that later into the night, she observed that her son was ‘tossing and turning’ in his sleep, and appeared to be experiencing some discomfort. She proceeded to check him and he awoke and asked her, “Mommy, you not sleeping yet?  Mommy you watching me?”
Soon after, her husband came in from work and after she’d related the story to him, he too became concerned after the tossing became more intense. He began checking the child for swellings or abrasions and attempted to rub is head, at which the boy cried out in pain.
The parents began praying, but it appeared that by then, the pain was too much for him and soon he could not recognize them. They took him to the Woodlands Hospital, where the doctors did the best they could. Joshua died around 02:30hrs.
Weeping bitterly as she spoke, Mrs. Hubbard who lamented the loss of her son, recalled what a wonderful child he was. “Joshua was never rude. He was never a bad child…”
His class-teacher, who was visiting to extend her condolences, recalled that he was a top performer.  She said that the class had taken a test the same afternoon and Joshua was in high spirits.
A post mortem is to be performed on Monday.