Pupil who drank acid left carelessly around his classroom by teachers in Ogun school dies

Three-year-old Darasimi Ogunwunmi, a Kindergarten One pupil, who drank caustic soda left carelessly around his classroom by teachers of his private school, Fahsal Children’s School, Ilupeju Estate, Idiroko, Ogun State in November 2015, has died.

After nine months of agony, being unable to swallow either liquid or solid food and six different surgeries at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Darasimi succumbed to his injuries few days after his last surgical operation on Monday, September 12...

The last surgery was another attempt to open up the boy’s stomach and throat which had become damaged by the chemical, which he drank when he was thirsty in school.

It happened on November 19, 2015 when Darasimi became thirsty and his teachers turned a deaf ear to his incessant cry for water. Part of the caustic soda already mixed and allegedly left around was what Darasimi drank from.

His teachers only realised what had happened when the boy was found outside his classroom crying and bleeding from the mouth, it was learnt. The teachers applied palm oil to the boy’s mouth but rushed him to the hospital when they realised his case was critical.

Ogun government promised us justice, did nothing – Boy’s parents

Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Modupe Mujota, said that she had constituted a team to investigate the case. But the family explained that nothing had been done about bringing the proprietor of their son’s school to justice.

Correspondent contacted the commissioner on Thursday to ask if anything was ever done about the boy’s case and what the outcome of the state’s investigation was.

 “There was a full investigation. But because there was no hard evidence, it became difficult to take the issue up legally. We combed the premises of the school and nothing was found, probably because time had elapsed and the school might have cleaned up,” Mujota said.