A Lagos Coroner inquest set up to unravel the circumstances that led to the death of a 12-year-old student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, has said that he died of natural cause.
The coroner, Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri , stated that the deceased’s death was avoidable but for parental negligence while absolving staff of the college of any complicity.
The development was contained in a 255-page judgement delivered on Monday at Justice Ilori Court House, Ogba.
The coroner further held that the deceased went through avoidable excruciating pain and needless suffering until death because of how his parents handled the issue.
According to Magistrate Kadiri, the essence of the inquest was to determine how a deceased died and the circumstances that surrounds his death.
He said evidences and reports of the two experts who performed autopsy on the late Oromoni Jr stated that he died of severe septicemia (sepsis) as a result of an infection.
Magistrate Kadiri said, “I do not believe the version of family doctor, Henry Aghogho evidence.
“He did not provide the required duty of care for the patient whose home care treatment was “trivialized” despite early diagnosis. The doctor was found to have abandoned the deceased for more than 32 hours and didn’t carry out an X-ray and scan early enough which would have revealed his deteriorating condition.
“Despite the deceased condition, he completely neglected the victim, the clinical records shows that he did not give quality treatment to the deceased, it also exposed the lies behind his evidence.
“Having examined the evidence tendered by all witnesses, I have come to the conclusion that the deceased died a natural cause.”
He also pointed out that despite the alleged accusations of the deceased that he was beaten and bullied, it was not proven because all the accused persons denied.
He said, “All the students involved denied the allegations while some of them were not in school when the incident occurred as they claimed to be borders who don’t even stay in school during the weekends.
“Therefore, the evidence of the sister could not be relied on because it was based on hearsay from the brother.
“The parent didn’t take him to any hospital in Lagos despite the fact that they have a house there. They took him to Warri in Delta State and were negligent in how they handled the deceased sickness, there was long period of days whereby the boy could have been treated appropriately.
“He went through avoidable excruciating pain and needless suffering until his death. The pupils alleged to have bullied him played no part in the death of the deceased from all the evidences before the court.
‘In fact Edward and Kenneth should have not been path of this whole case, because they were not even in school when the incident occurred.”
The coroner further absolved staff of Dowen College of any complicity in the death of the deceased.
Magistrate Kadiri said, “No Dowen College staff played any role in the deceased death.”
He also advised parents not take their children’s health with levity and better synergy between police and medical team in such matters.
The Coroner also called for proper psychological evaluation for five students suspected to have bullied the deceased because of what they might be going through as a result of the allegations.
