JEDDAH/MADINAH: Three Pakistani children who reportedly died of accidental insecticide poisoning in Madinah in August were buried yesterday.
Khaled Hussein, the father, said he received the bodies from the hospital morgue after a forensic doctor convinced the police officer in charge of the case to release them for burial.
Hussein said the doctor contacted the police to assure them that there was no point in keeping the bodies since necessary tests had already been carried out.
“The officer had refused to hand over the bodies to the family insisting that I bring him a full medical report. He was not even ready to listen to what the forensic doctor had to tell him. Finally, a colleague of his signed the papers on his behalf.”
After completing all official formalities, including death notifications from the Pakistani Embassy in Riyadh, the father buried his three children in the Baqea Cemetery close to the Prophet’s Mosque. “I am relieved now; thank God, they are buried,” said Hussein as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“But I don’t know how long it would take to get a full medical report and for the police to close the case,” he added.
It is believed that the three siblings — Hisham, Aisha and Sami — died as a result of poisoning caused by an industrial insecticide the family used inside their home to get rid of roaches.
Their pregnant mother and one-year-old Wafa survived after they were transferred to King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah for emergency care.
The family reportedly purchased the highly potent industrial insecticide at an agricultural supply outlet.
One unconfirmed report indicated that not only are such pesticides openly available, but that vendors have been known to provide instructions on how to use in domestic dwellings.
Reports of deaths and illnesses caused by the use of insecticides are common in the local press.
Late last month an Indian expatriate allegedly used a similar insecticide in his apartment in Jeddah’s Rehab district before leaving on vacation in order to rid the apartment of insects while he was away. The chemical fumes spread to adjoining flats and officials had to evacuate six families, according to a report in Al-Madinah newspaper.
In August 2007, two Egyptian girls died in Jeddah after their father fumigated their bedroom. The family went out for dinner, but fell ill on returning home.
In October 2007, a Filipino woman died and her sister-in-law was hospitalized after fumigating their apartment. The cause of death was a fatal inhalation of aluminum phosphate.
