Chrisland School exonerates self in death of 12-year-old Lagos student
The management of Chrisland Schools Limited in Lagos has reacted to the unfortunate death of one of its students, 12-year-old Whitney Adeniran, who died on Thursday, February 9, during the school’s Inter-house sports event that took place at Agege Stadium.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the school, Adeniran was said to have been rushed to a nearby hospital when the incident happened although, the school did not give any narrative as to what led to her death.
The statement read; “The management and staff of Chrisland Schools Limited, with a deep sense of loss, announce the death of our precious student, Whitney Adeniran; whose painful exit occurred on Thursday, February 9th, 2023.
“We are heartbroken and distressed. Whitney was one of our Day students who opted not to participate in the inter-house sports match past for reasons we were not very sure of.
“However, on discretion, we respected her decision to err on the side of caution, because, on January 20, 2023, it is in our records that she had complained about not-too-buoyant health and we immediately contacted her parents.
“Her father, Mr. Michael Adeniran, came to the school to take her home. We emphasized to her parents to take a critical look at her.
“Our immediate response was to take advantage of proximity to first-aid, by identifying the nearest medical facility to take her to, where the doctor on duty, administered oxygen and every aid possible on her.
“We immediately notified regulatory stakeholders and agencies to allow for a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of the developments.
“In spite of the compelling imperatives to fill any information gaps in public space, we stopped short of making any media sensation out of this, because the deceased in question, was a minor and is deserving of our unqualified respect.
“We also prioritized according to respect for the privacy of the family and were with them consistently, to mourn together. This is a painful loss for all of us.
“As we continue to uphold the sobriety of this moment, we resist any urge to join issues on her treasured memory, in media trends.
“As we await the outcome of an independent post-mortem process, we remain unwaveringly committed to supporting the family at this critical moment and pray fervently for the fortitude to bear her painful loss.”
Meanwhile, commenting on the incident, the mother of the deceased said she was in the inter-house sports event when she discovered her daughter was nowhere to be found during the school activities.
“During the match past, I looked, the first house matched, I didn’t see my child. The second house matched, but I didn’t see my child. The third house matched, but I didn’t see my child. I became worried,” she said.
She added that it was when she decided to search for her child around the stadium when a student revealed to her that Whitney fainted and was rushed to a clinic.
She further stated that no teacher or staff called her to speak of her daughter’s state, and after meeting a staff, they said her daughter had been rushed to the hospital.
Upon her arrival at the hospital, she met her daughter’s corpse on the bed, she said, “I went in there and saw my daughter’s corpse. I saw my daughter on her deathbed. She was already dead when I saw her. She was drenched and soaked to her skin. Water was dripping out. I screamed, I called on God. I shouted. I called on God.”
Mrs. Adeniran further stated that the school claimed that her daughter suffered from a cardiac arrest which led to her death.
“How can a 12-year-old have a cardiac arrest? No pre-existing medical or heart condition. Even if they claim it was cardiac arrest, how can one single arrest kill a healthy teenager?”
Also, the father of the child, Michael Adeniran while reacting to the tragic incident said his daughter was not sick when the school bus picked her up for the event.
“To the biggest shock of my life by 1 pm in the afternoon, I got a call from my wife that she was informed that our daughter slumped at the inter-house sport and she was rushed to the clinic.”
“My wife was at the venue even before the event started. She was never informed or called until they have conveyed our child out of the venue before they informed her. On arrival of my wife at the health center where they took my daughter. my daughter was lying dead with her lips black and her tongue black.”
“My wife called me urgently, I left my office to the place and found my 12year old daughter lying dead on the ground. I asked questions about what happened to my daughter and the school authority could not get me any information as to what happened to my child in their care.
“I gave Chrisland school a healthy vibrant young girl what Chrisland returned to me is a dead child. My entire family is in deep sorrow but the school Authorities claimed they know nothing about my daughter’s death and all they know is that my daughter slumped and died.
“My question is what happened to my daughter at Agege stadium? As a father, I demand answers from Chrisland International High School. I am in deep pain and sorrow right now. If you are a father you will understand my pain. My daughter is highly loved by us. We cherished her existence and we can never allow an institution to gloss over the death of our daughter.”
“Since we started asking this question. The school has been asking us to back down from the autopsy and I know they know their way into the system. I am calling on the pathology department of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to please be honest with their result. Lagos State government, Nigerian Government, please intervene,” the bereaved father wrote in a social media post.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the incident said the case was under investigation and necessary measures were being put in place to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of Adeniran.
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