The Guyana Police Force and the Childcare and Protection Agency have launched an investigation into the death of a one-year-old child, who reportedly consumed rat poison while in the care of a relative.
The child succumbed at the George-town Public Hospital (GPH), where he was rushed by his mother after she was alerted to what had happened.
She has since been taken into police custody.
Head of the Childcare and Protection Agency Ann Greene told Stabroek News yesterday that the investigation is still ongoing to determine the events that led to the consumption of the poisonous pill by the deceased toddler.
She explained that from preliminary investigations, the agency was told that the toddler’s relative was sent by his mother to purchase the rat poison from a neighbourhood shop.
However, it was related that the shop owner did not sell the tablet to the relative but gave it to him.
Upon returning home, Greene said, the relative left the tablet and went to fix a bottle for the one-year-old. It was around this time that the toddler grabbed the “carbon tablet” and consumed it.
Greene said when the relative turn around, he noticed the child with the pill in his mouth and raised an alarm.
Their mother reportedly rushed to the toddler’s aid and quickly took him to the GPH, where he succumbed.
Stabroek News was told that the mother was in state of shock after the child was pronounced dead by the medical personnel.
While she was taken into police custody, the shop owner was released on station bail.
