2 Filipinos among accused in 4-year-old Emirati boy’s drowning

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Two Filipinos were among the six accused of negligence in the drowning of a 4-year-old Emirati boy.

A Filipino woman and a Filipino shadow teacher, along with an Arab physical education instructor, an Italian swimming instructor, an Australian teacher, and a Sharjah school owner were named responsible for accidentally causing the boy’s drowning, as cited during the court hearing last Jan. 17, per Khaleej Times on Jan. 19. The tragedy occurred on Nov. 14, 2018.

The young boy apparently did not know how to swim and his father asked the school to put this information on his son’s file. The father received a call from the school on the day of the incident, informing him that his son was ill. Later, he was called up again and told that his son was at Al Qasim hospital.

Investigations revealed that the children had left the pool to change in the locker rooms right after their physical education class. An assistant noticed that the boy was missing and began to search for him. All was too late, however, when she found him drowned in the pool.

The six accused have since denied all the charges against them, the report stated. The next court hearing was postponed until April 6, affording the accused time to prepare their defense statements, as well as to give the school a chance to settle its court fees. Cody Cepeda/JB

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