Blessing Adeniran, the mother of Whitney, the late Chrisland Student, returned to the witness stand 24 hours after she began her testimony at the Lagos High Court in Ikeja, continuing her testimony from the day before.
While being cross-examined by one of the defence counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Olukayode Enitan, the witness stated that she supplied hospital-prescribed medications to her daughter in accordance with the printed prescription.
She also disclosed that she did not discuss or communicate the outcome of her daughter’s hospital visit with Chrisland School.
Blessing Adeniran is testifying as the second prosecution witness before Justice Oyindamola Ogala in the trial of the school, its principal, vice principal and two others for the death of her daughter, Whitney.
Whitney, a 12-year-old student was allegedly electrocuted on Feb. 9, 2023, during the school’s inter-house sports at the Agege Stadium, Lagos State.
In answer to questions put to her in the witness box on Thursday, the witness admitted that before the incident of Feb. 9th, the late Whitney had cause to skip school twice, on Jan. 20th and Feb. 2nd, on medical grounds.
The defence counsel then asked her to read out in court, a line from the medical report obtained by her husband from the Inland Specialist Hospital, which was the Adeniran’s family hospital, and which treated the late Whitney on Jan. 20, 2023, after the school called the mother to complain that the student was ill and was having difficulty breathing.
The medical report stated This specific line which said, “With a clinical diagnosis of anxiety and panic attack, she was treated with Nitrezepam 5mg tablet and Amitriptyline 12.5mg at night.”
The report had also earlier stated that “she was brought to the hospital on account of palpitations and shortness of breath which started that morning. The symptoms had subsided as at the time of the consultation.”
“There was no history of chest pain, dizziness or vomiting. She was not a known asthmatic and no history of similar symptoms in the past.”
The counsel had asked Mrs Adeniran the following questions under cross-examination.
Enitan: Witness, you said that you went to the hospital on 20th Jan and you were prescribed some medication. Pls confirm that the result or outcome of that visit was not communicated to the school. Did you give a report of that visit to the school?
Adeniran: No.
Enitan: Take a look at the report. The paragraph starting with “With a clinical diagnosis… do you know what that means?
Adeniran: No
Enitan: It’s the outcome of a patient-doctor interaction based on what the patient stated and observation of the doctor. So, you would not know that a clinical diagnosis of anxiety and panic attack could be the onset of a much more serious ailment?
Adeniran: No
Enitan: Do you know anything about Sudden Cardiac Death, (SDC)? To which she replied, no.
Enitan: Are you aware that SDC occurs to young people who are seemingly okay?
Adeniran: No
Enitan: Are you aware that in SDC, death results within 5-10mins?
Adeniran: No
Enitan: Are you aware that before the onset or occurrence of SDC, the individual exhibits symptoms which can last from between 2-4 weeks such as shortness of breath, inability to breath, palpitations and unnecessary anxiety?
Adeniran: No
Enitan: Are you aware that the deceased in a chat with one of her school friends informed the person that she fainted in her sleep because she had palpitations?
Adeniran: No
Enitan: Pls tell the court between Feb 9 and Feb 28, how many social media interviews you granted in respect of this event?
Adeniran: I don’t know, I didn’t count.
Enitan: But you granted interviews?
Adeniran: Yes, some were before the autopsy report came out. I can’t remember.
Enitan: In many of those interviews, you stated that your daughter was electrocuted?
Adeniran: No
Enitan: When did you first hear of electrocution in relation to the death of the daughter.
Adeniran: I can’t remember, it’s been over a year since the incident happened.
Enitan: In your evidence-in-chief, you said someone sent you a message on Instagram stating that she died by electrocution. Can you tell the court when that message was sent?
Adeniran: A few days after news of my daughter’s death broke on the internet. The news broke on the internet on the 11th of Feb, 2023, the message came in after that. I can’t confirm which date.
Enitan: Can we have her check her phone to confirm?
The witness was given her iPhone and she said the message came in on the 14th of Feb, 2023. It came from an anonymous.
Enitan: Are you confirming this from the Instagram app or are you reading from somewhere else? I need you to confirm from the Instagram app.
Adeniran: There’s no network on the phone and I can’t open the app. She proceeded to show her phone to the court to demonstrate the lack of network.
The witness also confirmed that after she heard that her daughter slumped at the Agege stadium and was rushed to the hospital, the school principal provided a bus to take her to the hospital.
Enitan: When you left the stadium to the hospital, did the bus go in a straight line?
Adeniran: I cant remember, I was in panic mode.
Enitan: Cast you mind back to the event of Jan 20th. How far is an inland hospital from your home?
Adeniran: about 5-10mins
Enitan: Pls tell the court the doctor who examined your daughter.
Adeniran: I think it was Dr Bode but I can’t remember and he examined her for about 15-20mins.
Enitan: and when it was concluded your husband proceeded to the pharmacy to collect the prescribed medication and then he asked you to take your daughter home. So he wasn’t the one who administered the medication? Tell us how you administered it.
Adeniran: It came in a sachet with the prescription written on it.
Enitan: Will it surprise you to know that your husband said there was nothing written on the sachet?
Adeniran: I’m not him. The name of the medicine was not written on the sachet but the prescription was. Whitney had pizza earlier from Domino Pizza next door to the hospital and the medicine was administered with water.
Enitan: Do you recollect confirming that your daughter was wearing white sneakers? Who took the sneakers away from the hospital?
Adeniran: I met her barefoot.
Enitan: Your husband ordered an autopsy? In that autopsy, were the sneakers submitted?
Adeniran: I don’t know.
Enitan: What about other items of clothing?
Adeniran: Her sportswear alone, shorts and tee shirt were handed back to us.
Enitan: Who was your family’s representative during the autopsy?
Adeniran: Dr Keshinro.
Enjtan: Do you know his occupation?
Adeniran: No, he was recommended.
Enjtan: Who recommended him?
Adeniran: I can’t remember.
Enjtan: Are you aware he is a serving police officer?
Adeniran: That’s not true.
Justice Ogala has adjourned the matter till tomorrow, Jan. 26 for continuation of cross-examination from another counsel representing one of the defendants.
Background
Whitney Adeniran, a 12-year-old student of Chrisland School was allegedly electrocuted on Feb. 9, 2023, during the school’s inter-house sports at the Agege Stadium, Lagos State.
On March 31st, 2023, the Lagos State Government had charged the defendants, Chrisland School, Opebi, its Principal, Belinda Amao, the Vice-Principal, Kuku Fatai, the school nurse, Victoria Nwatu, and a Cotton Candy vendor at the stadium, Ademoye Adewale for the death of the student of the school, Whitney Adeniran.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Oyindamola Ogala on a two count charge bordering on alleged involuntary manslaughter, reckless and negligent manner that endangered the student’s life.
The offences contravene the provision of Sections 224 and 251 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
At their arraignment, the defendants all pleaded not guilty.
Her father, Adeyemi Micheal Adeniran had earlier testified as the first prosecution witness in the case.