A heartbreaking incident unfolded in Akyem Oda last Sunday when two young siblings tragically lost their lives in a drowning accident within an abandoned pool.
The victims were identified as 13-year-old Esther Dede and six-year-old Kofi Asare, with the younger child attempting to rescue his sister.
Grace Asare, a trader and the single parent of the children recounted to the Daily Graphic that the three kids, including the deceased, had gone out to play near the abandoned pool located on the premises of a defunct sawmill.
According to Grace Asare, a four-year-old boy who was playing with her children informed her that their ball had fallen into the pool, which was just a few meters away from their residence.
She explained that Esther attempted to retrieve the ball but accidentally fell into the pool, and upon witnessing his sister's struggle, young Kofi bravely attempted a rescue, but sadly both children lost their lives in the process.
In a sorrowful tone, Ms Asare mentioned that Kofi had celebrated his fourth birthday earlier that day.
However, residents in the neighbourhood dismissed Grace Asare's account, placing the blame on her alleged negligence, which they claimed led to the tragic demise of her two children.
According to the residents, when they alerted Ms Asare about her children's struggle in the pool, she allegedly did not take the matter seriously and focused on preparing her supper instead.
They further claimed that it was only later in the evening when Ms Asare realized her two children had not returned home, that she informed the neighbours, who then joined her in the search.
Tragically, they discovered the lifeless bodies of Esther and Kofi floating in the abandoned pool and promptly reported the incident to the Oda Police.
The Oda Police, in collaboration with the Ghana National Fire Service, arrived at the scene and successfully retrieved the bodies, which were subsequently transported to the Oda Government Hospital for autopsy and preservation.
Confirming the incident, Chief Superintendent Daniel Amoako, the Oda Municipal Police Commander, stated that the police have launched an investigation into the tragedy.
