The Coroner presiding over an inquest to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of Miss Whitney Adeniran, a student of Chrisland Schools, Lagos, Mrs O.O. Fajana, has warned the parties involved against delay in the proceedings.
She told them to put the late student’s family and other witnesses into consideration.
Following the death of 12-year-old Whitney who reportedly slumped and died during the school’s inter-house sports at the Agege Stadium on February 9, the state government on February 13 set up a Corona inquest to ascertain the cause of the death but there has been continuous postponement.
The Counsel to Chrisland Schools, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde prayed for another date to continue the cross-examination of the deceased’s father, Mr Michael Adeniran, who is the second witness in the inquest.
Objecting to the request, counsel to the Adeniran family, Mr Joseph Iriah, reminded the court that the case was adjourned from April 17 at the instance of Ayorinde.
Lagos State counsel, Mr A.A. George, also submitted that he desired advancement of the inquest.
Before his request for adjournment, Ayorinde asked Michael if he was aware that his daughter suffered any form of anxiety and shortness of breath.
Ayorinde asked: “According to the doctor’s report dated February 15, are you aware that the drugs prescribed (Nitrazepam 5mg and Amitriptyline 12.5mg) are drugs for anxiety and clinical depression?”
He also asked if the witness was aware of some of the side effects of the drugs, which he listed to include numbness and dizziness, then bluish and blackish lips (from Nitrazepam usage).
Ayorinde also asked if the witness did any investigation to ascertain if the stadium was safe to hold inter-house sports.
The witness answered in the negative, adding that he expected the school to have found out whether the stadium was safe.
Michael then recounted what happened on January 20, before the death of Whitney.
He said: “On January 20, I was on my way to work when my wife called me and said the school called her and said that my daughter had taken ill and needed medical attention.
“I drove to her school and was asked to wait at the reception. Later, Whitney and some teachers came and they bade her farewell and asked her to take care of herself.
“I took her from there to our family hospital, Inland Hospital. Some drugs were prescribed after seeing the doctor and I went to the pharmacy within the hospital to get the drugs,” he said.
Adeniran told the court that he was not aware of the functions of the drugs prescribed by the doctor because he was not a medical professional.
He further testified that he took Whitney to the hospital as a father’s responsibility to rule out any serious health issue, not because she was seriously ill.
The Coroner adjourned the matter until Tuesday for further cross-examination of Michael.
