Boy, 6, dies on steel stakeBy RHONDOR DOWLAT Monday, May 21 2007
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DIED: Corey Baptiste, six, died on Saturday evening when he fell off his bicycle onto a steel rod in his neighbour's yard in Diego Martin....
SIX-YEAR-OLD Corey Baptiste died instantly on Saturday evening when he fell over the edge of the yard of his Diego Martin home and was impaled on a steel rod in his neighbour’s yard below.
Police reported yesterday that Baptiste was riding his blue bicycle in the yard of his Upper Factory Road home, which is situated on a hill, at about 6.30 pm.
Police said Baptiste either rode too close to the edge of the yard or picked up a skid on loose gravel, as he and the bike tumbled over the steep incline.
Baptiste fell onto a sharpened iron stake that was protruding from a barrel. The barrel was stored at the back of a neighbour’s house.
Police said the stake went through the boy’s abdomen and exited through the back. He died on the spot.
Baptiste’s body was viewed by the district medical officer and taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, where an autopsy will be performed today. Speaking with Newsday yesterday Baptiste’s grandmother, Elvita, said she was still in a state of shock over the freak accident.
“I really too distraught right now. God forgive me, but I real vex with God because of what happen to Corey. He was such a pleasant boy and look at what had to happen to him,” Elvita said.
She added the boy’s mother had to be sedated in order to get some rest.
“A few days before my daughter telling me that she feeling depressed. She left for work on Saturday morning leaving her son home with me only to find out in the evening that he died,” Elvita said.
A neighbour, who preferred to remain unidentified, said he heard a loud crash and then heard a child scream out twice.
“I was in my house which is down the hill but I could have seen little Corey riding in the yard. In fact I watched him ride up and down the yard for a few times and as I turned my back to do something I just heard a loud crash and then like a boy cry out and that was it. When I looked out my window I saw little Corey on the iron stake. By the time I ran over he was already gone,” the neighbour said.
This is the second tragedy that has struck the family. On January 15, 2006, Elvita’s son, Kestar ‘Jaggie’ Jagessar, 29, was shot five times not too far from his home.
Investigations are continuing.
