A terrible tragedy struck the Fanfan, inhabitants of the Blanche Street, Roche-Bois in the early hours of this Friday morning of October 14. Louis Ellakim Loïc Azael Fanfan, 4 years old, who was taken to the Dr. A.G. Jeetoo Hospital in Port-Louis in the early evening of Thursday, October 13, did not survive. This little boy died of acute pulmonary edema, probably caused by an overdose. The boy accidentally swallowed the contents of a methadone bottle that his grandfather brought home. The latter, Antoine David, 58, who is on methadone treatment, is actively sought by the police.
Since Thursday night, police officers at the Abercrombie, St. Croix police station have been on the alert for this tragedy. Ruth and Jacques Fanfan, Ellakim’s parents, are devastated. Early Friday morning, October 14, neighbors, relatives and acquaintances flocked to their home to offer their sympathies.
Jacques Fanfan, 36 years old, who works as a helper for the Goodwill company, explained that he came home around 7:00 pm and saw his son Ellakim, who was playing in the yard. He said that he did not pay attention to a bottle with its cap that his son was holding in his hand, as his wife was not there, he was busy preparing dinner. At a certain moment, his son did not feel well, he was dizzy. Immediately, he took him to the hospital. After care was provided, his son was admitted to ward 3-5. He breathed his last at 4 a.m. on Friday, October 14.
Jacques Fanfan explained in his deposition that he later learned that his father-in-law, Antoine David, came to his house with a bottle of methadone that he gave to one of his four sons. The latter kept it in the children’s room. His son Ellakim took the bottle and accidentally absorbed its contents. Since this tragedy, his father-in-law has not been found.
This tragic news was as if the sky had fallen on the heads of Jacques and Ruth Fanfan, who are also the parents of two daughters. Ruth Fanfan works for a debt collection company.
An autopsy was performed at 10:30 a.m. on Friday morning, October 14, at the morgue of the Dr. Jeetoo Hospital. The autopsy was performed by Dr. Prem Chamane, Principal Police Medical Officer, and attributed the death to acute pulmonary edema, probably caused by an overdose. Samples were also taken for analysis at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Reduit.
The death of this child has raised a sense of outrage among the residents of the Roche-Bois and St. Croix area. They are questioning how this vial of methadone could have left the distribution site in the courtyard of the Abercrombie, St. Croix police station. Each patient is supposed to take his or her dose on site in the presence of police officers. These residents are upset that the drug and addict situation is getting worse around the police station and on Ducray Street, St. Croix.
The funeral of little Ellakim Fanfan is scheduled for this Saturday, October 15 at 11 am. After the funeral ceremony at the church of Notre Dame de L’Assomption in Roche-Bois, he will be buried in the Bois-Marchand cemetery in Terre-Rouge.
