Toddler Abdoulaye Dieng became trapped between a mirror and an iron bar while nursery staff allegedly attended the director’s birthday party and left the child alone
A one-year-old boy has died after getting his head trapped behind a mirror, while nursery staff allegedly left for a directors’ birthday party.
Abdoulaye Dieng died from asphyxiation after his head became trapped between a mirror and an iron bar at Luz do Bras day care centre in the Brazilian city of São Paulo. Little one-year-old Abdoulaye was in the playroom at the day care when his head became lodged between a metal safety bar and a mirror.
He reportedly struggled to get free for about six minutes, before nursery staff returned and realised what happened and removed him. Staff later approached military police as they carried Abdoulaye in their arms, at about 9.20am on July 22.
The toddler was taken to the Mooca Emergency Care Unit where he was declared dead. His dad, Ibrahima Dieng, dropped him off just two hours before staff brought him to police.
Day care staff later called Ibrahima and allegedly told him “Abdoulaye got sick” and they were “taking him to the hospital”, according to local outlet G1. “They sent a message saying the child had fallen ill. The parents believed their son was receiving medical attention,” the family’s lawyer Erson de Oliveira said, reported O Globo.
The family alleged children had been left unsupervised at the day care centre while staff attended the director’s birthday celebration, the lawyer said. The case was put under investigation with potential manslaughter charges being considered.
Civil Police officers questioned five employees over the incident: the director, a coordinator, a teacher, a pedagogue, and another staff member. A Municipal Department of Education told O Globo: “If irregularities are confirmed, appropriate measures will be taken, including the possible disqualification of the partner organization responsible for the unit.”
Abdoulaye’s funeral was held on Friday, July 24. Ibrahima, originally from Senegal, has lived in Brazil for eight years and told G1: “I cry a lot, it’s so sad.” He continued, saying of Abdoulaye’s mum: “She cries a lot…it’s very sad. It’s going to be very difficult for her to recover.”
