Officers of the Child Protection Unit are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a three year old girl in South Trinidad.
Little Shazade Simon died five days after falling into a pot of boiling lentils which was on ring stove.
According to police, the incident happened last Wednesday afternoon as Shazade was at a vending stall operated by her grandfather at Morne Roche, Williamsville.
Her mother, Andelle Lazar, is said to have left the little girl in her grandfather’s care to go to the washroom, and later returned to find her in the hot pot.
The child was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where she was being treated for second degree burns over 25 per cent of her body.
She died at 1:30pm on Monday. Relatives say this was just before her parents were due to take her home.
They’ve taken to social media, saying that reports circulating during the day are wrong and that Shazade was “not found in the pot, she slipped and stumbled in the pot.” The messages also said everyone was around her and she was picked up immediately.
Meanwhile, the South West Regional Health Authority has expressed concern over a video of Shazade Simon while at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH).
A statement on Tuesday afternoon said “While the Authority has commiserated with the parents of the deceased minor, a preliminary report has indicated that appropriate medical attention and care were advanced to the minor.”
The SWRHA said to determine the cause of death and better understand the circumstances, an autopsy has been prioritised for tomorrow