A tragic incident has struck the community of Bandjoun, in the Western region of Cameroon, with the death of an 8-year-old girl, Gloria, under alarming circumstances. The child reportedly consumed homemade corn beignets that were allegedly contaminated with rat poison.
According to initial findings, Gloria prepared the beignets herself, unaware of the presence of poison intended to control rodents. Shortly after eating the beignets, she began to show signs of acute distress, including vomiting and severe abdominal pain.
Jonas Tamgue, a family member, explained, "We had crushed the couscous and, seeing that there were too many mice in the house, we decided to put the mice remedies on a tiny part of the couscous and put it on the shelf, and we put the rest on the floor in a bucket. Until now, we don't know how the child managed to take that part where we put the 'arata' to make the beignets, eat them, and give them to her twin brothers". This testimony suggests that the rat poison had been placed near the food, possibly to protect supplies from rodents.
Despite rapid medical attention in a health facility in Bandjoun, Gloria did not survive. Pascal Fotso, the victim's father, shared his grief: "Before they left for the hospital, they were talking well. There was no concern. I thought we were just going to do a little cleaning and it would be okay". Her twin brothers, who had also consumed the beignets, were treated in time and are now out of danger.
Gloria's death has plunged the locality of Yom in Bandjoun into mourning and consternation. This tragedy highlights the potential dangers of storing toxic products near food, especially in the presence of children. The investigation will need to determine the exact circumstances of the contamination and the measures to be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future.
