In a heart-wrenching incident, 8-year-old Hawa Turay, a bright class two pupil at Ansarul Islamic Primary School in Deep-Eye Water, Waterloo, lost her life after drowning in an unprotected well at her residence on Janneh Drive, Devil Hole, Waterloo.

Following the tragic event, authorities have taken the guardian of the young victim, also named Hawa Turay, into custody at the Deep-Eye Water Police Station. The guardian faces charges of Criminal Negligence and other related criminal offenses in connection with the devastating incident.

Disturbingly, this is not an isolated occurrence in the region. In the month of July 2023 alone, four other children lost their lives due to similar incidents involving unprotected wells in and around Waterloo.

The body of the deceased child has been transported to the Connaught Hospital Mortuary for an autopsy examination, as investigations into the incident continue.

The recent spate of child drownings has prompted authorities and community members alike to call for urgent measures to prevent such tragedies from recurring. Local leaders and safety advocates are demanding increased safety measures around wells and other potential hazards to safeguard the lives of innocent children.