Matthews Ridge girl, 5, dies by drowning

A post-mortem examination, which was conducted on five-year-old Juliana Gounga of Orange Walk, Matthews Ridge, North West District, revealed that she died by drowning.

Police said the post mortem was conducted at the Port Kaituma Hospital Mortuary by Dr. Nehaul Singh on Friday, August 30, 2024. The body was later handed over to the relatives for burial.

Initial reports revealed that the child’s mother is employed as a cook at ‘Jawbone’ Backdam, Baramita, North West District, where she took the child to spend the August holidays.

However, on August 28, 2024, at about 16:30 hrs, the mother alleged that she left her daughter at the shop for about 10 minutes. Upon her return, she noticed the child was not where she left her and she began making checks around the premises.

“She then observed her daughter in a pool of water in an old gold mining pit face down, motionless; she immediately went into the pit and pulled her out,” Police reported.

After recognising Juliana was unresponsive, she rushed her to the Baramita Cottage Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.