Baby dies in road accident

A one-year-old child seated in a car’s front passenger seat was one of two people who died in a fatal accident along the Labasa-Nabouwalu Highway on Friday.

The other victim was the driver, who was in his late 40s. He allegedly overtook another vehicle and collided with an oncoming car.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed that the one-year-old child had sustained serious injuries. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Seaqaqa Health Centre.

The other three passengers who sustained injuries are admitted at the Labasa Hospital.

The driver of the oncoming vehicle was treated and discharged.

Meanwhile the dead toddler’s paternal aunt Akanisi Boteiviwa was at the Labasa Hospital yesterday to check up on her younger brother (late toddler’s father) Ponipate Catarogo admitted at the Intensice Care Unit

She couldn’t tell her younger brother, Mr Catarogo that his only child, Vilimone Savua died in the accident.

“My brother is admitted with head injuries from the accident and is unable to talk and I feel sad that he doesn’t know that his son passed away,” Ms Boteiviwa said.

“I didn’t go to church for Palm Sunday today, because I’ve lost two loved ones.”

She said the driver, Sakiusa Tumua was like her grandson while the other two passengers are her cousins.

One of them was airlifted to the Suva Colonial War Memorial Hospital on Saturday night while the other is admitted at the Labasa hospital surgical ward.

She doesn’t know where they went and where they were coming from.

“My sister-in-law was at work in Labasa Town when they all left the house at Naduri Village,” she said.

“When she got home, she couldn’t find them, it was until she received a call in the night informing her about the accident then she knew.”

She said according to the witnesses she was told that her nephew was sitting infront at the passenger’s seat while the adults sat at the back seat.

“We don’t know how the funeral arrangement can be made because my brother is still in ICU,” she said.

The national road death toll currently stands at 10 compared to 17 for the same period last year.

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