He’s my world, I wish I died instead
Mum’s anguish as she held body of baby ‘thrown in river’
A MOTHER whose baby boy died after allegedly being thrown into a freezing river yesterday told of the pain of holding his dead body.
Emma Blood, 22, said her 11-month-old son was “my whole world” and said she wished she was dead instead.
Zakari Bennett was allegedly thrown into a river while still in a basket before firefighters pulled him out.
The boy’s 22-year-old father, named as Zak Eko, was arrested after the child was allegedly tossed into the water.
Paramedics battled to save him but he died hours later in hospital.
Kissed
Yesterday his heartbroken mother revealed that she did not get to say goodbye while he was still alive.
Ms Blood said: “I love my little boy and did everything for him. I did not know my child was dead until I got to A&E.
“We sat with him for hours, we held him and kissed him.
“Let me grieve for my child, my whole world and so much more. I am alive, although I wish I was dead.”
Her father Andy Blood said: “It’s heartbreaking. You can imagine what it’s like for a grandad to lose his grandson.”
Police have arrested a 22-year-old man on suspicion of murder and confirmed it was being treated as a domestic incident.
It is believed the child’s father had taken his son to the shops to buy milk.
Witnesses screamed after they saw Zakari’s body in the river Irwell in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, just before 4.30pm on Wednesday. Detective Inspector Wes Knights of Greater Manchester Police thanked those “who tried their best to help retrieve the baby”.
The bridge was yesterday covered in flowers, balloons and teddy bears from well-wishers.
One note on a teddy bear said: “Fly high angel”.
Zakari’s great-grandfather said the couple had been planning their son’s first birthday.
David Kavanagh, 67, said: “Emma and Zak seemed like a happy couple, she was a loving mother. She was taking Zakari to playgroup and they were making plans for his first birthday.
“It’s the worst thing you can imagine. The family are desperate to know why it happened.”
Neighbour Margaret Cope, 73, said: “The father walked past me in the afternoon. He was just staring ahead.”
Last night police said Eko has been charged with the murder of Zakari.