By Bida Elly David
A two year old child at Shari-Bateri over the week was discovered dead in the house after the mother had departed to join her clique of women who were reportedly known of consuming alcoholic beverages together.
The 23 year old woman and the mother to the deceased whose name remained withheld left the house with her friends to unknown destination leaving the child sick in bed with no plan to seek for medical attention.
Speaking to No.1Citizen Daily Newspaper on Monday, Gisma Gabriel, a closest neighbor to the deceased’s mother described the demise of the child as a result of negligence from both parents.
She said the child had the appetite to eat but there was nothing to reach her stomach since both parents concentrated on drinking, smoking and fighting.
“The child truly fought a lonely life as she could go without food and water for couple of days in the absence of her parents. She became an orphan with living parents. She had a speedy appetite but she couldn’t find any one to give her what to reach her stomach’’ She narrated.
Gisma further reiterated the pity of neighbors to the child as she resorted to eat dry bread that children were not supposed to eat at that level dropped tears from many eyes in the area.
“We as neighbors were sorrowful seeing the hungry child eating dry bread as an elder person at the age of 2 years. At times we could involve her with our children to at least eat together. This lady and her husband have been behaving like that for a very long time, when they go out, they normally come back home drunk without thinking of bringing what the child could eat or drink. The husband could sometimes stay for two months without stepping his feet to the compound nor even give the woman money for out keeps’’ Gisma lamented.
Gisma emotionally touched neighbor said the child died due to sickness that arose as a result of poor feeding and absence of parental care as both parents lived the life of “to whom it may concern.
She urged young girls to avoid going for unprepared marriage that will reciprocate into regret and suffering the way they had witnessed.
“Girls who hurry marriages always end up like that. Joining a group of failed girls as a result of passive family administration also contribute to such situation. Ladies should focus to develop their future through education such that they manage their lives even without the help of their husbands’’ She advised.
Gisma also revealed that the lady accepted her crooked husband after she was expelled by her parents from home due to irresponsible attitude of not responding to parental guidance towards success.
“Her friends in the group told us that she got her husband in a drinking place and agreed to rent a house to stay together after she was sent away by her father for not listening. She complained that her husband was not providing her with services that was why she resorted to drinking which was a total lie’’ echoed Gisma.