Three young children from Dukathole have died after eating rat poison.
The tragedy took place on Wednesday and the police became aware of it after a 27-year-old man rushed into the Dukathole Clinic at about 2pm, with his young son, aged five.
The man told the clinic nurse that his child had a stomach ache.
The nurse had a look at the child, who was on his father’s back, and could not find any sign of life.
She immediately took him to an examination room and began to perform CPR, to try to resuscitate him, as he had no vital signs.
“Foam was coming out of his mouth and the child, sadly, died at the clinic,” said WO André de Jager, communications officer for the Germiston SAPS.
“A few moments later the 25-year-old mother of the child arrived at the clinic with the boy’s 10-month-old sister, who was showing the same symptoms as her brother.
“The same nurse immediately performed the same procedures to resuscitate the baby, but to no avail, as the baby also died soon after arriving at the clinic.”
It is alleged that the children’s parents had left the siblings in the care of the father’s 17-year-old nephew, as they had to go out for a while.
The nephew said the children ate crisps from a plate.
He did not know from where they got the plate of crisps.
After further investigation the plate was recovered from the parents’ house and traces of rat poison were found on it.
“It is suspected that the symptoms the children showed were symptoms displayed when someone is poisoned by rat poison,” de Jager said.
“The parents and the nephew were questioned and the police are continuing with investigations.”
The police were later informed that another child, aged four, had died in the Bertha Gxowa Hospital on the same day, after displaying the same symptoms.
It is believed the child was with the brother and sister at the time they ate the crisps.
An inquest docket has been registered for further investigation.
