Grandma, family struggle with loss after 1-year-old falls in well and drowns
Little Rayasi Tulave was the joy and light of our family and nothing could ever make up for our loss, says grandma Rusila Bulou.
With disbelief and profound sadness Ms Bulou is still coming to terms with the incident that took the life of her only grandson. The child, who was one-year and 11 months old, reportedly fell into a well in the village and drowned. His body was found floating in the water by his aunt Mariana Nagale, 10 minutes after they realised that the child was missing.
The incident took place in Naikawaga Village in Namara, Tailevu on Friday at around 5pm. “He was the only child in the family, everybody loved him so much,” Ms Bulou said.
“His mother Makereta Naiqovu is just 22-years-old and he was her first born.
“I still cannot believe that he is no more.”
Ms Nagale who had found the body said Rayasi had gone to their neighbour’s house when they last
saw him before the incident. “My mother watched him walk to our neighbour’s place, so we knew that he was there,” Ms Nagale said. However, she added that they did not know Rayasi had left their neighbour’s place and was found in the well minutes later when they started looking for him. The well where the incident occurred is located within the village and was only a couple of metres away from Rayasi’s home. Except for an old tyre around the opening, the mouth of the well was always left open. Villagers said they would now bury the well to ensure such incidences never happen again. The circumstances surrounding the child’s death is now under investigation by the Fiji Police Force. The drowning toll stands at 18 compared to 21 for the same period last year. Edited by Percy Kean