Family of four dies of food poisoning in Enugu

by Cosmas Chukwu

Uncommon tragedy struck the Lawrence Chukwu family of Okegu Amaeta Mgbowo, Awgu LGA of Enugu when on Saturday October 9,2021 when stealth death crept in and sought to decimate their household.
According to family sources, the family had feasted on ofe ede, cocoyam cum bitterleaf soup prepared by the late spouse of late Lawrence Chukwu.
The family of four along with their maid had all feasted on the said meal before retiring to sleep Friday night in their two-bedroom self contained bungalow in the Umuchigbo Iji Nike area of Emene Enugu.
The following morning late Lawrence for his daily schedule on to become sick at the workplace.
Unknown to him his entire household with the exception of the still suckling baby boy had a simultaneously taken ill and he could not reach them to inform of his condition or learn about theirs,many thanks to MTN service breakdown tat Saturday.
Taking of the situation,he took the entire family to ESUTH Parklane hospital where they were taken in to the emergency ward.
As the doctors battled to save their lives,the maid died.
At that juncture they were referred to the 82 Division Military hospital Enugu owing to dearth of space at Parklane where the husband and wife were admitted that night.
The maid who is a relation of the late woman who hailed from Ebonyi state was conveyed home and buried in her home.
However,late Lawrence,his wife and daughter showed signs of recovery and ate meals pap,rice nd beans and Lawrence had appeared hale and strong and the vomiting of blood had subsided.
Then in a sudden twist,Lawrence’s condition degenerated and he died shortly after the sudden resurgence.
He was later conveyed to the a private morgue only the cases of the wife and their daughter aged about three years to get worse, and the wife could not make it and followed her spouse on the heels.
The little girl,Nazareth had to transfered to the Military hospital where all efforts ended in vain as she also died this forenoon and has buried.
Meanwhile the second child,a baby boy who reportedly had participated in the meal seem impervious to the alleged poisonous meal and has been certified okay by the doctors at Parklane.
All and sundry point to food poisoning including the medics who had been engaged in flushing out their bowels while their treatment lasted.
But close associates and family sources wonder who could done such wickedness to Lawrence,an easy going graduate engineer and hope that an autopsy would held unravel better the cause of the multiple deaths.
Meanwhile the state commissioner for health,Dr Ikechukwu Obi, could not be reach for comments as his phone line could not be reached