After Three-Year-Old Pupil Dies After Falling From School Building, Police Interrogate School Authorities

By Babatunde Solanke

After a three-year-old child, named David Jacob Etim, died after falling from his school’s building in Aba, Abia State, the state police command has invited school for questioning

The Abia State Police Command , which confirmed the development through a statement it issued, said  authorities of Emerald International School were being interrogated on the incident.

The statement, which was signed by the State Police Public Relations Officer,(PPRO), ASP Maureen Chinaka, described  the incident as “sudden and unnatural death”.

According to Chinaka, the incident was reported to the Ndiegoro divisional headquarters on October 17, 2023 by Mr Jacob Etim Udo, the father of the victim.

The late Etim, according to a police statement, was a pupil of Emerald International School, located near Crystal Park road in Aba, where the incident happened.

The statement added that the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, for discreet investigations

 According to the statement, authorities of Emerald International School were being interrogated on the incident.

“On the 17th of October 2023, at approximately 2000hrs, a case was reported at the Ndiegoro divisional headquarters by Mr. Jacob Etim Udo, accompanied by two others. Mr. Udo reported the tragic incident involving his son, David Jacob Etim, a 3-year-old pupil of Emerald International School located near Crystal Park Road, Aba.

“According to Mr. Udo, his son fell from the school’s storey building and was immediately rushed to the hospital. Despite all efforts, the child tragically lost his life.

“The child’s body has been placed under autopsy as part of our ongoing investigation. This case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a comprehensive and discreet inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident. Interrogations with the school authorities are currently in progress”, the statement said.

According to BBC Igbo report,  David’s father, Jacob Etim Udo, who is a commercial motorcyclist, popularly known as Okada rider, said that he took his two children to school but when it was time to bring them back, he went to the school and found out that David had died.

Udo who hails from Akwa Ibom State alleged that though his child died last Tuesday, as of Monday (this week), the management of the school had not called his family to explain how his child died.

It was gathered that when the incident happened, the child was rushed to John Okorie Memorial Hospital, Aba where doctors declared him dead.

 The parents said that it was an unknown person who called them on the phone and informed them about the death of their child.

 David’s mother, Onyekachi Udo told BBC Igbo, “It was my daughter who told me to come and take them and her brother who fell from the roof.

“He called me to show me where my son fell. There was blood on the ground where he fell.

 “The teachers didn’t tell me how my child died. I don’t have a child.”

 According to BBC Igbo, when it contacted the Principal of the Emerald International School, Peter Nwoke, he said the report given by the parents of the deceased was not accurate but refused to give his version.

 Nwoke was quoted as saying, “It’s not what happened. If you come face to face, I will explain to you what I heard happened because I was not there.”