A Lawaki Village resident in Tailevu is mourning the loss of his three-year-old son after the child was found in the Naimasi River on Friday.
Solomoni Tamani, the father of the late Waisake Valetiri, said the last time he saw his son was on Friday morning before leaving for work as a cleaner at Queen Victoria School.
“I saw him that morning and talked to him before I left. That’s the last memory I have of my son,” he said.
Mr Tamani said his children remained at home with their mother while he was at work.
He said that around lunchtime, his wife realised Waisake was no longer inside the house and began searching for him.
“So she went outside to look for him.
“When she did, she saw a group of men from the village surrounding him beside the Naimasi River at Lawaki.”
Mr Tamani said he learned of the incident after finishing work later that afternoon.
“I knocked off work in the late afternoon and, as I was approaching home, one of the men came up to me and told me to go to my uncle’s house.
“When I got there they told me they tried to revive him but couldn’t.
“He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.”
He said police had advised the family to wait for the post-mortem examination before funeral arrangements could be made.
Mr Tamani also thanked those who had offered support to the family during the difficult time.
“I just want to say thank you so much for everyone who is sending prayers and condolences to my family.”
