Chrisland: I didn’t know drugs given to Whitney Adeniran at hospital could cause death — Mum

Blessing Adeniran, mother of the late student of Chrisland Schools in Opebi, Lagos Whitney Adeniran, on Wednesday testified at the trial of the school and four others for alleged involuntary manslaughter.

The bereaved mother testified before an Ikeja High Court.

She was led in evidence by Lagos State director of public prosecutions, Dr Adewale Martins, and cross-examined by defence counsel including Richard Ahonaruogho (SAN).

Lagos State Government, on March 31, 2023, charged Chrisland Schools, its principal and vice principal and two others with the killing of the student.

The 12-year-old student was allegedly electrocuted on February 9, 2023, during the school’s inter-house sports at the Agege Stadium, Lagos State.

Those charged alongside the school are Ademoye Adewale (a cotton candy vendor), Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao (Principal) and Victoria Nwatu.

The defendants were arraigned before Justice Oyindamola Ogala.

During her cross-examination by Ahonaruogho, the bereaved mother said that she did not know the effects of combination of Nitrazepam and Amitriptyline drugs.

The drugs were mentioned in a report dated February 16, 2023 by Inland Specialist Hospital (Exhibit PW1 (B)) before the court.

The drugs were prescribed for the late student on January 20, 2023, by Inland Specialist Hospital, when the witness and her husband took the deceased to the hospital for treatment.

The witness said that the school principal had called her on the same day and told her that her daughter was ill and having difficulty in breathing.

“I called my husband to inform him because I was at a gym. He picked her from school and took her to the hospital, and he said I should join them there.

“I went to the hospital and met my daughter and her dad playing a game with his phone, and she seemed fine to me. I said they like going to the hospital, and we laughed,” she testified.

According to the witness, when her daughter’s vitals signs were checked at the hospital, the doctor told her parents that she was alright, and asked if she had examinations in school that could warrant mild anxiety, but the parents told the doctor that she was rather preparing for inter-house sports.

The witness said that she did not know what the drugs were meant to treat.

Ahonaruogho had asked if she was aware that the drugs were meant to treat panic disorder, severe anxiety and insomnia, and the witness answered in the negative.

She told the court that she was mourning her daughter and did not consider finding out any effects of the drugs.

When asked if she was told at the Agege Central Hospital and Diagnostics Ltd, where her daughter was rushed to after collapsing at Agege Stadium, that she died possibly due to cardiac arrest, the witness said that she was told.

Ahonaruogho asked the witness if she was also told that there was possible electrocution of the student, she replied in the negative.

The counsel told the witness that Nitrazepam was meant to treat panic disorder, severe anxiety and insomnia, while Amitriptyline was to treat depression.

He asked the witness if she knew about the facts, and the witness said that she did not know.

The counsel said that combination of the drugs administered especially on a young person could result in death.

He asked if the witness was aware. She said: “I do not know.”

The judge adjourned the case until Thursday, January 25 for continuation of cross-examination of the witness.