Moments after leaving his home to catch fish, an eight-year old lad was Monday morning electrocuted after he came into contact with an illegal connection at Plum Park, Sophia, Georgetown.
Joshua Regis, a pupil of the Enterprise Primary School, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital sometime after 11: 30h.
According to reports, the lad, who loved fishing, was warned not to leave the house, but he left without his mother’s knowledge, with a bucket and fishing hook in his hands.
He went to a nearby trench where he secured a hook, but slid in the mud during the process. In an attempt to stop his slide into the trench, he reportedly grabbed and held onto the live wire and was electrocuted.
Distraught
Joshua’s distraught mother, Nicola Charles, explained that on Monday morning, she was lying in her bed when one of her daughters informed her that the lad was sneaking out to catch fish.
She stopped him; at the same time, his father, Sean Regis, returned from work and gave the child a stern warning, but he eventually left while they were having an argument.
She explained that the argument was about her spouse giving permission to another daughter to attend a wedding over the weekend and up to Monday morning, she had not returned.
During the argument, Charles heard a sound and enquired from her other children about Joshua.
That is when she was told her son was in a trench, lying motionless. She and her husband ran to the scene. From all indications, the child was already dead.
The lad’s father, who spoke to Guyana Times International at the Georgetown Public Hospital, explained that he had just returned home from work and upon entering the yard, he was told that Joshua “get shock”, contrary to his spouse’s account.
He continued that initially he thought it was a joke, but after he saw his reputed wife running towards the young man, he realised that it was true.
He said the moment he picked up the child, he knew that he was dead, but without hesitation he took a taxi and rushed him to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
The frustrated man added that the area where his son met his demise is about 60 feet from their home, noting that his son was holding onto a telephone cable which was used to steal electricity.
Several police ranks were at the house of the dead child, taking statements from his mother. They were also seen at the scene where the child met his unfortunate death.
Illegal connections
When this publication visited the area, there were several illegal connections hanging from the lamp post near the spot where the child met his demise.
Joshua is survived by his eight siblings and his parents.
Illegal connections are a major concern for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL). This has resulted in the deaths of several persons who came into contact with these connections. Sophia was listed as one of the areas with the most complaints.
