Sharjah Police investigate pool death of eight-year-old boy

Somalian Ali Ahmed Ali, who suffered from epilepsy, was having treatment at the Centre for Education and Rehabilitation of People with Special Needs in the Al Talaa area on April 30 when he suffered an attack and fell under the water.

Ali Ahmed Ali, 8,  drowned at the at Centre for education and rehabilitation of people with special needs in the Al Talaa area, in Sharjah. Courtesy Ali family
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Sharjah Police are investigating the death of a boy, 8, who drowned while exercising in a pool at a special-needs centre last month.

Somalian Ali Ahmed Ali, who suffered from epilepsy, was having treatment at the Centre for Education and Rehabilitation of People with Special Needs in Al Talaa on April 30 when, said the centre, he had a fit and submerged.

His father said the boy was in a pool used for training sessions which was watched by supervisors. The pool was 38 centimetres deep, reported Al Ittihad, the Arbabic language sister paper of The National.

“My son suffered from mental disabilities and epilepsy since birth,” said Ali’s father. “We registered him at the centre four years ago.

“On the day of the accident, the centre’s administration called me and said he had an epilepsy attack while doing exercises with his friends in the pool.

“He fell into the water and no one was there to rescue him.”

He added that the centre had supervisors who watched the children during training sessions and when they noticed the accident, Ali was taken to Al Qassimi Hospital and kept on artificial respiration at the intensive care unit.

Doctors told the father his son suffered from suffocation and lack of oxygen to the brain. He died on Monday.

A medical report stated the cause of death was a failure in circulatory and respiratory systems caused by drowning, resulting in lack of oxygen in the child’s brain.

“My son died yesterday after more than 10 days in the hospital,” said the father.

“His health has not improved in view of all the damage due to the accident, as proven by the medical report issued by the hospital stating the cause of death is lack of oxygen to the brain.”

The father said he had filed a case at Al Heera Police Station against the centre.

Staff at the centre involved in the incident were being questioned by officers to clarify details of the accident before the case is transferred to Sharjah’s Public Prosecution.

newsdesk@thenational.ae