The case of a three-year-old boy diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) who fell into a manhole on a school compound and died will be heard in court on the 21st of March 2023.

The boy, Philbert Willoughby, died in a manhole (Sewer) just one week after he was enrolled into a school.

A Police report cited by the Ghana News Agency, said, Philbert was enrolled at Asher Montessori school in Weija in May 2021, after the school had demanded a medical report on the boy’s condition.

The report said the school accepted the child on the condition that the mother would pay an extra GHS200 every month to cater for a caregiver provided by the school since the child needed special care and attention which the parents complied with.

It said on the 24th of May 2021, the mother of Philbert sent him to school at about 9.00 am. The child’s caretaker served him with Vitamilk drink after which she went to the other children.

The caretaker, after sometime, realized that Philbert was not in the class and went out to look for him but to no avail. So, she informed other teachers who mounted a search for him, but they could not find him.

Realizing that the school’s main gate was locked, they were convinced that he would be within the school’s premises.

Later, one of the teachers called Ted Dumakor, the proprietor’s brother, came with the child and informed them that he found him in a manhole and brought him out.

The report said they rushed him to the Weija/ Gbawe Municipal Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A lawyer from the Legal Aid Office who is pursuing the case said the police are still investigating the issue. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopment disorders of childhood.

Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active.