The two boys died from drowning in the manhole | File Photo
Correspondence from the Eastern Region
Grief has gripped a family and residents of Abokobi, a suburb of Somanya in the Eastern Region, following the tragic drowning of two schoolchildren in a manhole within their residence.
The deceased have been identified as eight-year-old Jason Teye Mensah, a Class Two pupil, and nine-year-old Nathaniel Ayernor Kofi, a Class Three pupil.
Both attended Samsalo Preparatory School at Odumase Krobo.
The incident occurred on Thursday, February 12, 2026.
According to family members, the boys had returned home from school but were later reported missing when they could not be found in the house.
An extensive search was conducted within the compound and surrounding areas.
At approximately 6 PM, the search took a tragic turn when the slippers of the two children were found near an uncovered manhole in the compound. Upon further inspection, their lifeless bodies were discovered inside.
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service in Somanya were called to the scene. Fire officers pumped water out of the manhole to facilitate the retrieval of the bodies.
The remains were subsequently conveyed to the Yilo Krobo District Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival and later deposited at the morgue for preservation and autopsy.
The boys are the children of Manye Dede Addo-Teye I, Developmental Queen Mother of the Plau Division in the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the traditional area and the wider community.
Speaking in an interview, the grandmother of the deceased, Doris Tetteh, recounted the painful sequence of events.
She said the children’s mother had seen them off to school earlier that day. When she returned home, the boys were nowhere to be found. She asked their elder brother about their whereabouts, but he said he did not know where they were.
“We are devastated and grieving. We do not know the circumstances under which this happened. The mother is shattered,” she said, adding that the bereaved mother, who has four children, affectionately referred to the deceased as “soldiers” and “honourables.”
The Somanya District Police Commander, Superintendent Kingsley Abrokwa, who visited the scene as part of preliminary investigations, confirmed the incident.
He stated that police officers inspected the compound and later examined the bodies at the morgue.
According to him, there were no visible signs of assault on the children.
However, he noted that an autopsy would be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.
Superintendent Abrokwa further observed that the manhole had not been properly secured.
He explained that although the residence is a compound house within a gated community, it would have been prudent to cordon off or firmly cover such an opening to prevent access by children.
He suggested that the exposed state of the manhole may have contributed to the unfortunate incident.
He assured the public that investigations are ongoing and that findings will be communicated in due course.
The police also indicated that the father of the children is currently out of town but is expected to return.
The police have urged property owners and residents to ensure that open drains, wells, and manholes within residential premises are properly secured to prevent similar tragedies.
Source:
www.ghanaweb.com