11.00 AM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

Filipino dad awaits body of only child who died of pesticide poisoning in Dubai

Published
By Sneha May Francis

“We are going through the worst time of our lives,” says Benji, a Filipino who lost his only daughter to a tragic case of pesticide poisoning in Dubai.

His three-year-old was one of the two who died after inhaling toxic gas that emanated from their neighbouring apartment. His flatmate Chris died on July 29, while his daughter Aaliyah died on July 30.

Benji and his wife rushed to the hospital after they started vomiting and complaining of tummy pain on the second night of Eid Al Fitr.

Emirates24|7 had initially reported about how an adult had died while five others were being treated in Zulekha Hospital after inhaling the toxic substance which leaked through the a/c duct from their neighbouring apartment. (https://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/filipino-killed-after-toxic-poison-leaks-through-ac-2014-08-10-1.558936?utm_medium=social&utm_source=tumblr)

Talking to this website, Benji recalls how it was just a normal day and he had returned home around 7pm. “We went grocery shopping around 9pm, and came home. We finally went to bed around 10pm. Everything was OK then.”

A little later, one of his flatmate complained of vomiting, and informed him that he was going to Zulekha Hospital. “He asked us if we wanted to go along, but I said no, because at that time we were feeling pretty normal.”

It was 45 minutes later that Benji and his wife started experiencing the same discomfort. “We were throwing up, and our tummies were aching. First, we thought that it was some gastro infection, and probably a bad case of food poisoning.

“It’s when my daughter started vomiting that we knew it couldn’t be food-related, because she didn’t eat any food, and had only had milk.”

Benji, who has lived in Dubai for the last six years, got married in 2010. “My wife is in a bad shape. I can’t leave her alone. She’s currently with family in Qusais.”

His little girl’s body is still not handed over to the family, due to the preliminary investigation. “I am waiting to get her body. It could be any time next week.”

The fatal incident took place on the second day of Eid Al Fitr when the tenant of an apartment sprayed the highly toxic Aluminum Phoshphide in his property, locked it and headed for the airport to start his summer vacation abroad.

Dubai Police informed that the tenant and three men who sold him the banned chemical have been arrested.
 

[Homepage Image Courtesy: Shutterstock]