By Politico Staff Writer
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID ) in Bo is investigating the death of One-year, three-months -old, Stevena Satta Kposowa at the Mattru U.B.C Hospital in Bonthe district, Southern Sierra Leone.
According to Constable 9138 Alhaji Osman Mansaray ,Police in Mattru Jong received reports from the deceased’s father, Edward Augustine Kposowa on Sunday 8 October this year, reporting the death of his daughter, Stevena Satta.
The officer explained that the deceased’s father on the previous Saturday was at the house of the suspect named Musu Barnett of Tihun Village in Bonthe, to collect a condolence book, when he forgot his house keys there.
"Augustine decided to return to the house of the suspect. While they were looking for his keys, Augustine decided to put down his child to look in the chair he was sitting before he left. When he turned later, he noticed his baby daughter was chewing her mouth", Mansaray said
The officer further explained that the father asked the suspect what she had given to his child. Mansaray said the suspect initially replied that she only inserted her finger into the mouth of the deceased.
He added that at that point, the condition of the child had started to deteriorate which attracted the attention of neighbours.
The child was then taken to the U.B C Hospital in Mattru but passed away.
The hospital’s Medical Superintendent, Dr. Alfred Lawrence Rogers told Politico that nurses brought the child to the hospital almost dead.
“We did our best to resuscitate the child but she passed away between 1 and 2 am’’, the doctor said.
"The deceased’s father first went to the house of the suspect and met her processing the kush. Police had all the items as exhibits. Small quantity of the kush, scissors and wrapping paper, had been retrieved and are with the police", Mansaray explained.
The officer confirmed that Barnett (suspect) made a confessional statement to the police that she was not expecting the child to die, and admitted to selling kush and was trying to test the quality of the kush she was processing to sell and and decided to put some into the toddler’s mouth.
"The Family of the deceased pleaded with the police to hand over the corpse for burial. The post-mortem will be done later", Mansaray said.
He stated that no pathologist is based in Bo, but one will be called upon to do the autopsy.
"Police will probably go to the scene of the crime at Tihun to probe more into the matter because it is one of the felonious cases that needed time for investigation", he said.
Mansaray said the suspect is currently in police custody .
Copyright © 2023 Politico (16/10/23)
