Child shocks at Graceland’s Christmas lights

SECUNDA – An 11-year-old boy had no pulse and stopped breathing for a moment after he was shocked at Graceland Hotel, Casino and Country Club on 23 December. This happened when he and his family were at the annual Garden of lights.

According to the boys mother, he was bending down for a photo, when his lip touched one of the lights and he shocked.

“Luckily a friend who was with us, has a first aid qualification and helped my child,” said the mother.

The friend, Mr Jaco van Wyk, said he saw the boy was unconscious and had to give two compressions before the boy began breathing again.

“I saw that he was not breathing and had no pulse,” said Mr Van Wyk.

“I made sure his airway was open and checked where he was shocked. I found a burn mark on his lip.”

“I did not see any other burn wounds on his body.”

After Mr Van Wyk helped the boy, the child was also evaluated by a paramedic from Langamed Ambulance Services who was called out to the scene by bystanders.

According to the mother, other parents approached them at the scene after her son was examined by the paramedic, They claimed that their children had also been shocked at the lights at Graceland Hotel, Casino and Country Club.

“There was no first aid responder available,” said the mother.

Mr Willem van Rooyen, General Manager at Graceland, confirmed that there was an incident. He said paramedics attended to the child at the scene and declared him fit to go home.

“We believe that the incident was due to continuous adverse weather conditions. As a precaution we have made the decision to close the Garden of Lights indefinitely.”