Regional News of Tuesday, 24 June 2008

Source: GNA

Boy 8, drowns in flood water

Nkwanta (Ash), June 24, GNA- An eight-year-old boy's determination to retrieve his slipper from flood waters has resulted in his death at Nkwanta near Juaso in the Asante Akim South District. Akwasi Duah in his desperation to retrieve his half pair of bathroom slippers which had fallen into the swift-flowing flood waters after a heavy downpour, slipped into the water which carried him away. His body was discovered a day later, about 300 metres away from the community in a pool of mud after a search party had been deployed to look for him.

Mr. Michael Adu Raymond, father of the deceased who briefed the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said on June 17, around 4:30 pm, Duah informed him that he was going to the mother who lived a few blocks away after a heavy downpour together with his younger brother. He said after 6 pm when Duah had not returned, he asked his younger brother who had returned earlier. He said the brother informed him that he left Duah who was trying to retrieve his slipper from the flood waters but all efforts to trace him that evening proved futile.

According to Mr. Raymond he organized a search party to look for the deceased who was found in a gutter at the outskirt of the community. He said the case was reported to the Juaso police who came for the body and conveyed it to the Juaso District Hospital for autopsy. It was, however released to the family later for burial.