Nine-year-old perishes in Sophia ‘Blacka’

Jun 30, 2008 News

Ten-year-old friend survives after artificial respiration

By Alex Wayne
Screams of deep anguish filled the air in Guyhoc Park yesterday afternoon when a single-parent mother received news of her nine-year-old son’s drowning in the ‘Blacka’ at Sophia.

Akeem Hinds, of Lot 1 Guyhoc Park, Georgetown, reportedly perished in the canal after he left his home unnoticed for a ‘quick dip’ in the company of his ten-year-old friend, Shakeel Grovsner, who resides at Lot 150, Guyhock Park, Georgetown.

While the young Akeem perished, his friend Shakeel was revived after he received artificial respiration from an army rank who resides in the village.

According to several villagers, the two lads were seen swimming. A short while later they developed difficulties in the canal.

According to sources, as the boys, grabbing desperately onto each other, began to sink below the surface, a male villager, rather than going to their rescue, rode into the village on a bicycle shouting hysterically that the youngsters were drowning.

Villagers rushed to the scene, and two men immediately plunged into the canal at the location where the two boys were last seen.

Some time later, according to villagers, the body of Shakeel was fished from the water in what appeared to be a lifeless state, and placed on a nearby bridge.

After artificial respiration was administered to the lad, villagers said, ‘he coughed up muddy water’, and began spluttering.

He was immediately rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
It took a while longer to locate Akeem, and by the time he was pulled from the water even resuscitation efforts failed to save him.

One woman said the limp lad ‘just kept bringing up muddy water and his stomach contents, as froth streamed from his ears, mouth and nose’. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the GPHC.

A visit to the home of young Shakeel proved that relatives, although aware that an accident involving the boy had occurred, were not aware that he had survived.

“We heard that there was some incident involving Shakeel and rumours were spreading wild about a double-drowning, so we were not sure what had transpired.”

When this newspaper relayed the news that the child was alive relatives shouted in relief.
According to them, the boy had left the home unobserved. Meanwhile, at Akeem’s home, this newspaper again had the task of relaying the news regarding the accident to family members. However, the report was much grimmer, and whereas an atmosphere of relief had permeated the Grovner household a few moments earlier, the mood at the Hinds home was one of anguish and sadness.

On hearing the news of her son’s death, Akeem’s mother, Marcel Fordyce, who was sitting dazed in front of the home, apparently hoping for the best, let out a loud wail and began pulling her hair and clawing the grass.

“Ow Akeem! Oh Gawd! Ow me Akeem!” lamented the mother as she gave vent to her grief.
His siblings related that the young boy had left the yard while no one was watching, and had ventured to the ‘Blacka,’ where he met his demise.

His 20-year-old sister, Tameka Reece, who was out at the time, came home shortly after, and on receiving the ews, burst into hysterical sobbing.

Things were a bit different when the boy’s 22-year-old brother, Adrian, arrived home and was told the news.
In a show of anger, the young man launched a verbal attack on his younger sibling, 15-year-old Laurex Hinds, whom he said he had left to supervise the deceased and his 5-year-old sister, Kenya Hinds.

According to neighbours, the matriarch of the home, Marcel Fordyce, who is unwell, was resting when Akeem left the premises.