Counselling services have been extended to the family of 12-year-old Joshua Baldeo, who died last Friday (Jan 29) evening after allegedly getting entwined in the net of a hammock.
Minister of Education, Hon Emmalin Pierre, as she extended her condolences to the family and friends, told The Grenadian Voice that the Ministry’s counselling team has reached out and has been providing support to the family.
Baldeo was a form one student of the Presentation Brothers College (PBC), whom Principal Dominic Jeremiah describes as a “very nice young man.”
He told this newspaper that on Monday Baldeo’s classmates received some counselling via the school’s internal counsellor and via the Ministry of Education’s counselling team.
As he expressed his condolences, Principal Jeremiah said the school has been working with the family providing support.
Reports are that Joshua and his five-year-old brother were playing in the hammock inside the house when the incident occurred just before 4pm. The younger sibling attempted to help his brother but to no avail. He then sought the assistance from nearby relatives who did not respond promptly as the five-year-old did not articulate accurately what was happening and so they concluded that the call to go to the house was one of their usual pranks.
Joshua was allegedly found tied up within the net by relatives and was rushed to the General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The deceased lived with his stepfather and brother in the community of New Hampshire, Saint George.
The stepfather, who declined an interview with this newspaper, was reportedly at work at the time of the incident.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by one Kimberly Baldeau to assist Joshua’s mother with funeral expenses with the goal being $7,000.
Stating that Joshua’s death was due to an “accidental hammock strangulation,” in the plea for financial assistance, it was noted that the mother lost her job recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is a single mother.
