The boy who was admitted to hospital in critical condition after allegedly drinking a poison-laced energy drink in Ratanda, near Heidelberg, on Thursday was recovering well in hospital, his family said on Monday.
The 11-year-old was admitted to Thelle Mogoerane hospital but his three siblings, Lehlogonolo Khoabane, 16, Katleho Khoabane, 13 and Tebogo Ngcongwane, 6, died after apparently consuming the same drink.
“The child is recovering well. We are arranging to visit him,” family spokesperson Johannes Khoabane told TimesLIVE.
Boy who drank poisoned energy drink that killed his siblings 'recovering'
Journalist
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The boy who was admitted to hospital in critical condition after allegedly drinking a poison-laced energy drink in Ratanda, near Heidelberg, on Thursday was recovering well in hospital, his family said on Monday.
The 11-year-old was admitted to Thelle Mogoerane hospital but his three siblings, Lehlogonolo Khoabane, 16, Katleho Khoabane, 13 and Tebogo Ngcongwane, 6, died after apparently consuming the same drink.
“The child is recovering well. We are arranging to visit him,” family spokesperson Johannes Khoabane told TimesLIVE.
Khoabane said the police who had just left their home on Monday afternoon had informed him that their father was also making a recovery in hospital.
Police on Thursday found the boys’ father unconscious in his house. He was taken to hospital under police guard as it is alleged that he might be involved in the poisoning of his children.
A fifth sibling was not harmed when he did not accept the drink from their father.
Father of three siblings who died at school after drinking ‘energy drink’ he gave them found unconscious
Khoabane would not be drawn on the allegation made by the children’s mother, Ntswaki Khoabane, that her husband, Veli Ngcongwane, last week questioned her about the paternity of one of the children.
“Last week he questioned me about the paternity of one of my kids after one of our children said that he was told by friends that his father was staying somewhere in the farms.
“He asked me to come clean and I told him that there was nothing of the sort as all these kids were his and he had never doubted them from the beginning,” she told Sunday World.
Three siblings die in Gauteng school, another critical after drinking 'energy drink' allegedly given by dad
On Friday, Khoabane said the family did now know what spirit possessed the father to take a decision to do what he did.
“He [allegedly] bought an energy drink and mixed it with [rat poison]. It's like he checked first for the mother to leave because he did this after she left for work. He took the energy drink and poured it for the children to drink, four of them,” Khoabane said
He said after the children had left for school, their father allegedly also gave the lethal drink to the family dog and attempted to take his own life.
The funeral of the three siblings is expected to take place on Saturday.
TimesLIVE
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