A single mother is grieving the loss of her one-year-old and nine months son Nathan Bogitini after he was involved in a motor vehicle accident along Nadi Back Road on Tuesday.
The victim had accompanied his aunty and other children who went on a normal shopping errand which turned out to claim his life.
Speaking on behalf of the emotional mother Emalaini Korologa, her grand- aunt, Eseta Kurulo said she was waiting at Consumer Supermarket in Namaka for her husband and the children who were passengers to pick her.
Ms Kurulo said after she got picked her husband had driven them along the Nadi Back Road.
“I was sitting at the back seat with the children and breastfeeding my son,” she said.
“I did not know that my husband was falling off to sleep while driving.”
Ms Kurulo said her husband, who was a Pari driver had hired the vehicle he was driving to earn income for the family.
“The incident occurred at around 11am when my husband had suddenly veered the vehicle near Standard Concrete Industries and the car fell into the drain.
“Lucky, the children and I we were close to each other, however Nathan (victim) he flew to the front seat and his head got hit by the car glass.
“We took him to Namaka Health Centre, but he was pronounced dead on arrival and got transferred to the Nadi Hospital mortuary.”
Ms Kurulo said the victim’s mother was residing at the Newtown HART in Suva and became pregnant while she was in high school.
“This accident is a lesson for us as a family. There was something telling me that I should not have taken the children with me and left them at home.”
Meanwhile, the Fiji Police Force is urging drivers to get adequate rest as driver fatigue increases the risk of accidents.
“Drivers, parents and guardians are also asked to ensure the safety of children traveling in vehicles at all times,” a statement from police said.
The road death toll currently stands at 23 compared to 25 for the same period last year.
