News / Local
Toddler dies after drinking thinners instead of water
17 Oct 2015 at 05:42hrs | Views
A TWO-YEAR-OLD girl died after she drank thinners which she mistook for water at Makokoba Market Square in Bulawayo.
Thobekile Moyo died in less than an hour after she gulped down the paint thinner.
Angela Ncube, 22, a vendor in Makokoba, said she was still in shock following her daughter's death on Friday last week.
"When we got to the market, I did her hair and then she slept. She was fine with no health complaints or anything. The moment she woke up she complained of hunger and I gave her some food.
"As soon as she finished eating she asked for water. As I stood up to look for my bottle of water, she grabbed a two litre coca cola bottle that was next to my table," said Ncube.
A vendor at the market who preferred anonymity said he saw the girl grab a two litre bottle with a colourless liquid.
"The girl grabbed that bottle while the mother searched for her own bottle of water. I didn't see how she opened it but I think she took one swig.
"I saw her immediately throw away the bottle and that's when I advised the mother to check what her child had drunk," he said.
He said Remen Ngulube, a vendor, had brought the thinners which he wanted to use to clean his generator.
"Our greatest shock was that soon after the baby threw down the bottle, she started dripping saliva and in seconds she was nose bleeding. As we ran around to get transport to rush the baby to Mpilo, blood started coming out of her mouth as well," said the vendor.
He said in less than 20 minutes, the baby had died as some elderly women rushed her to hospital.
Another vendor who only identified herself as MaNdlovu said the girl's death was "too sudden."
"She was a lovely and bubbly child that we all watched as she grew up. She died an unexpected death. It all happened in minutes when no one saw it coming," said MaNdlovu.
She said an assortment of chemicals are sold at the market and women who cannot afford maids bring their babies, exposing them to danger.
"I personally call it an accident as there is no one to blame," MaNdlovu said.
Bulawayo Metropolitan Province police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the death of the baby.
"We received the report of a sudden death of a two-year-old girl who is said to have drunk a chemical called thinners and investigations are underway.
"We urge parents to watch over their babies in case of such incidents," said Insp Simango.
Experts say thinners is a mixture of chemicals used as industrial solvents.
"The active ingredients in most solvents damage the skin, brain, reproductive system, eyes, respiratory tract, nervous system, and internal organs," said a chemist.
"In large enough quantities, it causes oxidative stress on the different organs of the body leading to death."
Thobekile Moyo died in less than an hour after she gulped down the paint thinner.
Angela Ncube, 22, a vendor in Makokoba, said she was still in shock following her daughter's death on Friday last week.
"When we got to the market, I did her hair and then she slept. She was fine with no health complaints or anything. The moment she woke up she complained of hunger and I gave her some food.
"As soon as she finished eating she asked for water. As I stood up to look for my bottle of water, she grabbed a two litre coca cola bottle that was next to my table," said Ncube.
A vendor at the market who preferred anonymity said he saw the girl grab a two litre bottle with a colourless liquid.
"The girl grabbed that bottle while the mother searched for her own bottle of water. I didn't see how she opened it but I think she took one swig.
"I saw her immediately throw away the bottle and that's when I advised the mother to check what her child had drunk," he said.
He said Remen Ngulube, a vendor, had brought the thinners which he wanted to use to clean his generator.
"Our greatest shock was that soon after the baby threw down the bottle, she started dripping saliva and in seconds she was nose bleeding. As we ran around to get transport to rush the baby to Mpilo, blood started coming out of her mouth as well," said the vendor.
He said in less than 20 minutes, the baby had died as some elderly women rushed her to hospital.
Another vendor who only identified herself as MaNdlovu said the girl's death was "too sudden."
"She was a lovely and bubbly child that we all watched as she grew up. She died an unexpected death. It all happened in minutes when no one saw it coming," said MaNdlovu.
She said an assortment of chemicals are sold at the market and women who cannot afford maids bring their babies, exposing them to danger.
"I personally call it an accident as there is no one to blame," MaNdlovu said.
Bulawayo Metropolitan Province police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the death of the baby.
"We received the report of a sudden death of a two-year-old girl who is said to have drunk a chemical called thinners and investigations are underway.
"We urge parents to watch over their babies in case of such incidents," said Insp Simango.
Experts say thinners is a mixture of chemicals used as industrial solvents.
"The active ingredients in most solvents damage the skin, brain, reproductive system, eyes, respiratory tract, nervous system, and internal organs," said a chemist.
"In large enough quantities, it causes oxidative stress on the different organs of the body leading to death."
Source - chronicle
