Five children die in abandoned vehicle in Nasarawa, as Police launch investigation

Five children have allegedly suffocated to death inside an abandoned vehicle in Nasarawa State.

The lifeless bodies of the children were discovered inside an abandoned vehicle in the Agyaragu community, Obi Local Government Area of the state.

The children aged between six and 10 years, were found locked inside an unserviceable vehicle parked at the residence of one Mr. Abu Agyeme.

Spokesman of the state Police Command, Ramhan Nansel, who confirmed the tragic incident to newsmen in Lafia, the state capital, said the State Police Commissioner, Shetima Jauro-Mohammed, has ordered a thorough probe to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Nansel explained that the police received a distress report from a local resident, Mr. Ozimna Ogbor, around 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. 

He added that a team of police team deployed to the scene found the children unresponsive inside the disused vehicle and rushed them to Aro Hospital, Agyaragu. 

According to him, all the five children were pronounced dead by the medical doctor on duty with suspected suffocation as the cause.

Nansel stated that the children’s bodies showed signs of severe heat burns, reinforcing the suspicion of death by suffocation in extreme heat.

He, however, said the bodies had been released for burial rights at the request of their families, the remains were released for burial while investigations are ongoing to determine how the children accessed the vehicle and whether negligence played a role in the tragedy.