Police detectives yesterday interrogated Michael Edeh, father of the two children who were found dead inside a deep freezer on Sunday night. The incident, which threw residents of Ikorodu area of Lagos State into shock, is being investigated by the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID), Panti Street, Yaba.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chike Oti, who confirmed the arrest, said parents owe their children a duty of care under the law. Oti said the incident occurred on Sunday and it was the boy’s father who reported the matter to the police.
“One Michael Ede came to the station to report that around midnight on Sunday, November 11, he and his two children, Emma Ede, aged six, and Darasimi Ede, aged four, slept in his bedroom with all the apartment’s doors securely locked. But unfortunately, when he woke up to urinate in the middle of the night, he could not find his children.
“After searching for them, he found them dead inside the freezer. The bodies have been evacuated to the General Hospital, Ikorodu. We are investigating the matter and we have arrested the kids’ father for questioning,” he said.
Oti said under the law, for example parents would be held liable if their child falls from a three-storey building and dies. He said such a parent would be arrested to explain why he abdicated his responsibility as guardian of the deceased children.
“Call it arrest or invitation. The case has been transferred to the homicide section of SCIID and the father of the children has been invited for questioning. He should be able to say what transpired. From the look of things their mother seems not to be around.
“How could it be said that the two children who had gone to bed with him left his care and were found dead inside a deep freezer along with a dog. Was the freezer open or locked before they went to sleep. How did they enter the freezer? These and many more are things which he has to explain.”
Oti further stated that though there were no marks of violence on the bodies of the children, the case has been handed over to experts in homicide matters to handle. He, however, did not clarify if the deceased father was detained or allowed to return home.
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The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chike Oti, who confirmed the arrest, said parents owe their children a duty of care under the law. Oti said the incident occurred on Sunday and it was the boy’s father who reported the matter to the police.
“One Michael Ede came to the station to report that around midnight on Sunday, November 11, he and his two children, Emma Ede, aged six, and Darasimi Ede, aged four, slept in his bedroom with all the apartment’s doors securely locked. But unfortunately, when he woke up to urinate in the middle of the night, he could not find his children.
“After searching for them, he found them dead inside the freezer. The bodies have been evacuated to the General Hospital, Ikorodu. We are investigating the matter and we have arrested the kids’ father for questioning,” he said.
Oti said under the law, for example parents would be held liable if their child falls from a three-storey building and dies. He said such a parent would be arrested to explain why he abdicated his responsibility as guardian of the deceased children.
“Call it arrest or invitation. The case has been transferred to the homicide section of SCIID and the father of the children has been invited for questioning. He should be able to say what transpired. From the look of things their mother seems not to be around.
“How could it be said that the two children who had gone to bed with him left his care and were found dead inside a deep freezer along with a dog. Was the freezer open or locked before they went to sleep. How did they enter the freezer? These and many more are things which he has to explain.”
Oti further stated that though there were no marks of violence on the bodies of the children, the case has been handed over to experts in homicide matters to handle. He, however, did not clarify if the deceased father was detained or allowed to return home.
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