A 4-year-old boy, identified as Jefferson Onal, has met his untimely demise in a hole filled with water. The incident occurred on Saturday, September 16, 2023 in the Scoutville Community area, Pleebo City, Maryland County.
An eyewitness and a resident of Scoutville community, Prince Nubo, told journalists who visited the home of the bereaved family that he arrived from his jobsite and was resting home having lunch when he heard calls for help. Jumping out, he was told that a little boy had mistakenly fallen into a hole of water.
According to him, upon hearing the news he immediately jumped into the pit in search of the 4-year-old boy.
“So I jumped into the hole. He was under the water. I took him out and carried him home to his parents, though he was weak and couldn’t talk. He could not even open his eyes or breath,” Eyewitness Prince Nubo said.
For his part, Rancy T. Onal, father of the victim, confirmed the receipt of the child after the eyewitness got him out of the water. He said the boy was immediately rushed to the Pleebo Health Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, Onal has expressed regret and sadness over the untimely death of his son, noting that little Jefferson Onal was his only son. “He and I came from bathing and were sitting together in the living room. But I don’t know how my son left from beside me. The only noise I was hearing was that ‘someone fall down in the hole’. Before I go look, they were bringing my son. I took my child to the clinic, but the doctors said he was already dead. This was my only son,” he cried.
Upon the death of the child, the Liberian National Police (LNP) Pleebo CID Chief, Jimmy Kaydor, accompanied by other police personnel, responded to the crime scene immediately, setting up a 15-man coronal juror, which reported “no foul play on the body”.
The remains was later turned over to the family for interment.
However, the Chairman of Scoutville community, Mark G. Kannah, told the Hot Pepper that the drowning of 4-year-old Jefferson Onal is not the first of its kind in the community, stating that at the time he was not the Chairman of the community another child (he didn’t identify) drowned in an opened pit.
Upon his endorsement as Chairman in 2021, he said, another child felt in an opened pit, but was rescued.
Chairman Kannah said his administration is doing everything possible to save lives in the community, taking tours across the zones at his vacant time.
He noted that the death of Jefferson Onal is hurt for the community.
Chairman Mark G. Kannah then called on dwellers of Scoutville and other nearby communities to take precaution.