A 4-year-old Indian-origin boy has died in a "tragic accident" at a daycare centre in Auckland, New Zealand.
Aldrich Viju’s father had dropped him at Angels daycare in Takapuna at 1:30 PM on Friday. Less than an hour later, emergency services were called in at the centre where the daycare staff appeared visibly shaken, Fairfax Media reported.
He reportedly died in an accident on the play equipment at the centre.
An Auckland Police investigator advised the death was accidental and was not being treated as suspicious.
“Even though there’s nothing sinister about the death, it’s an accidental death, we are investigating on behalf of the coroner together with Work Safe New Zealand so that this kind of a thing doesn’t happen again,” said the police officer.
Viju had a younger sister and his mother is six months pregnant. His body will be flown to India for his last rites.
The staff of the daycare centre were attended to by the victim support unit of the police.
Malayali Samajam Incorporated group president Joseph Devasia said the Aldrich’s parents- Viju Vareed and Gisha Viju were devastated by his death and the entire Indian community was in shock.
A memorial service is being held today (Monday) for the young boy before his body is flown to India.
Earlier, Sanjiv Kohli High Commissioner of India in Wellington visited the grieving family at their Takapuna residence, along with his wife, Ruma Kohli.
Mr. Kohli offered all possible assistance to the family, including footing the bill for repatriation of the body to India, Indian Weekender reported.
Expressing his condolences, Kohli said that losing a child is a painful experience and in this time of grief, the High Commission of India will provide all possible assistance to the family, including footing the bill for the repatriation of the child's body back to their native state of Kerala in India.
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