By: Karino Teah
Sanquine District, Sinoe County – A heartbreaking tragedy struck the quiet town of Shampay in Tarsue Chiefdom on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, when a 5-year-old boy reportedly drowned in a nearby river while on his way to join his parents on their farm.
The incident occurred in the early afternoon, between 2:00 and 3:00 PM.
According to eyewitness accounts, the young boy, a school-going child, had been instructed by his parents—both farmers—to follow his older friends to the farm after school, a routine they reportedly practiced often.
Accompanying him were two teenage girls, aged 15 and 16, who are also students in the community.
The girls later told reporters that while they were ahead of the boy on the trail, they asked him to return to town to buy chewing gum.
They claimed they did not see him again and continued on their way to the farm.
Concern grew after 3:00 PM when the boy’s mother noticed he had not yet arrived. She returned to the town to look for him, only to be told by locals that the child had left earlier with his friends to join them on the farm.
It was a local hunter, returning from an expedition, who noticed unusual activity near the river and raised the alarm.
Community members quickly mobilized and launched a search effort.
Their worst fears were confirmed when the boy’s lifeless body was discovered in the overflowing river.
Three individuals, including the two teenage girls, have been taken into police custody as investigations continue.
Authorities have yet to determine whether the death was accidental or involved negligence or foul play.
The entire community has been left in shock and mourning.
Residents are demanding a thorough investigation to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the child’s tragic death.
