‘I was in some form of disbelief,’ says grieving mom after 6-year-old daughter chokes to death on a grape at school

Cape Town – Grieving parents of a Grade 2 pupil from a primary school in Germiston, Gauteng are reportedly seeking answers after their daughter allegedly choked to death on a grape in class on January 24.

According to IOL, Amkelekile (Amu) Sibongile Mokoena started vomiting after the first break. The teachers allegedly asked if she was okay, and she replied that she was. She was then instructed to return to the classroom. However, she reportedly collapsed in the classroom while putting her lunchbox in her bag.

She was rushed to a hospital just a few blocks from the school.

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Mokoena’s parents were called and told that their daughter was in the hospital.

Upon their arrival, they were told that their daughter had died.

“I was in some form of disbelief. I thought that was not my child. I thought the school might have somehow mixed up the names because my child was lively and full of life when she left for school that morning.

“I was eventually allowed to go see her, and she had the hospital sheet covering her body. When I slowly started pulling the sheet to unveil her face, I could identify her with her eyebrows. She had indistinguishable, perfect eyebrows. That’s when I was forced to believe it was her,” the report quoted Mokoena’s mom as saying.

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EWN reported that an autopsy was performed, which confirmed that Mokoena was already dead when she arrived at the hospital, and that she was choked to death by a grape that was found lodged in her throat.

Mokoena’s parents are now demanding an explanation from the school, as they seek to know why they were not immediately contacted when the incident occurred.