The tragic death of a two-year-old girl, Ella, at Smiley School International in Sangotedo, Lagos, Nigeria has ignited public outrage as her parents accuse the school of negligence and an attempted cover-up.
Ella, who left home healthy on January 15, 2024, reportedly died under mysterious circumstances on the school’s premises. While the school claimed the child drowned in their swimming pool, her parents allege she was electrocuted and her body placed in the pool to conceal the true cause of death.
“They lied she drowned in the pool, but we found out it was electrocution, and they dropped her in the pool to make it look like drowning,” the grieving parents stated in an emotional plea to the Lagos State Government.
The family also raised concerns about the safety measures at the school, questioning how a two-year-old could access a barricaded pool without proper supervision. “How do you have a pool in a school without adequate monitoring? It’s unimaginable,” they added.
In addition, the parents accused the school of deceiving other families by claiming the school was closed for maintenance, rather than revealing the truth about the incident. “They are lying to other parents about why the school is closed,” the parents said.
Ella had recently celebrated her second birthday in November 2023, intensifying the heartbreak for her family. “She left home alive and well on January 15 and never returned,” they lamented.
The bereaved parents are demanding justice and called for government intervention to hold the school accountable. “If nothing is done, other parents may face similar tragedies,” they warned.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
