POLICE COMMENT ON DEATH OF STUDENT AFTER SCHOOL SWIMMING ON BIRTHDAY

The death of Modadeoluwa Lawal, 6, a school student in Abuja, has been the subject of contradicting reports, and the Federal Capital Territory Police Command has made a statement in response.

On November 2, 2022, the day after she celebrated her birthday with other students at her school, Start Rite International School in Abuja, Lawal was reported to have passed away.

According to earlier accounts, the student's death was caused by the school's swimming instructor's negligence.

However, Josephine Adeh, the FCT Police Command's spokesperson, said in a statement on Friday that their investigation showed the student died from "Aspiration Asphyxia."

WebMD defines 'Aspiration Asphyxia' as a situation "when something you swallow "goes down the wrong way" and enters your airway or lungs. It can also happen when something goes back into your throat from your stomach. But your airway isn't completely blocked, unlike with choking."

In contrast to what the deceased person's relatives said, Adeh maintains that the student did not drown and hence did not die. The police PRO declared: "On the 2nd of November, She had a swim day as part of the school curriculum and had earlier celebrated her birthday that same day before hitting the pool in the company of other pupils, under the supervision of the Lifeguards, instructors, and teachers. At about 11:45 pm, While being coached, the instructor noticed she wasn't properly responding as she naturally would, he stopped and brought her out of the 4-2 feat deep poolside to examine her and noticed she was having difficulties in breathing. The school medical Team was alerted and she was taken to the hospital where she sustained a series of further heart attacks. The Doctor struggled to revive her but she was confirmed dead at about 6:45 pm of the same day.