A 12-year-old boy lost his life after jumping into a trench at Black Bush Polder, East Berbice, Corentyne on Friday.
Dead is Hemraj Ramnauth of Lot 88 Johanna, Black Bush Polder. His distraught mother, Sandra Ramsarran, is still trying to come grips with the tragedy.
She told the Sunday Chronicle that Hemraj – her eldest of four children – left with his neighbour’s son to play phagwah by the “Three Bridge Area”, and promised not to go into the trench.
The woman tearfully recalled that before her son left home yesterday, he made jokes with her and asked that she cook potato curry and dhal puri for him.
It was that meal that she was preparing when she received the dreadful news. Her 7-year-old son witnessed the entire ordeal.
The woman, amid tears, said she was unable to leave right away since the food was still on the stove. Moments later, she received another telephone call informing that her son was found dead.
Ramsarran said when she arrived at the scene, she found her son unconscious and she desperately tried to resuscitate him.
“When I see Hemraj, he look like he was sleeping,” the grieving mother said.
She said it was her seven-year-old son who alerted others that Hemraj was in distress since he couldn’t swim. Two older boys jumped into the trench and attempted to save him but it was too late.
“Thakur boy tek he into the trench and let go of he hand; he fell into a hole in the trench which was recently dig. He nah know how to swim. The boy left him fuh dead.”
The child was subsequently taken to the Mibicuri Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was a student of JC Chandisingh Secondary School and was described as smart, quiet and helpful.