Chrisland Schools Breaks Silence Over 12-Year-Old Student’s Death

The management of Chrisland schools has explained the incident that led to the death of one of their students, Whitney Adeniran, during the school’s inter-house sports activities at Agege Stadium, Lagos State, On Thursday.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that Michael Adeniran, Whitney’s father, had taken to social media on Saturday night to demand a probe into the death of his daughter, calling on the Lagos State government and the police to intervene in the matter.

He stated that she had no health condition or sickness as of the time the school bus picked her up for the event.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident saying, “the matter was reported to the police immediately after the incident occurred.

“The case is presently at the State Criminal Investigation Department and an autopsy is going to be carried out to know the circumstances that led to her death. That’s all the update I have for now.”

Reacting to the call for justice for the deceased, Chrisland released a press statement on Sunday.

The statement read, “The management and staff of Chrisland Schools Limited, with a deep sense of loss, announce the death of our precious student, Whitney Adeniran; whose painful exit occurred on Thursday, February 9th, 2023.

“We are heartbroken and distressed. Whitney was one of our Day students who opted not to participate in the inter-house sports match past for reasons we were not very sure of.

“However, on discretion, we respected her decision to err on the side of caution, because on the January 20, 2023, it is in our records that she had complained about a not-too-buoyant health and we immediately contacted her parents.

“Her father, Mr. Michael Adeniran, came to the school to take her home. We emphasised to her parents to take a critical look at her.”

The school said the deceased slumped in “public view and not under any hidden circumstances,” adding that she was rushed to the nearest medical facility for first aid.

“Our immediate response was to take advantage of proximity to first-aid, by identifying the nearest medical facility to take her to, where the doctor on duty, administered oxygen and every aid possible on her,” the statement said.

Chrisland appealed to the Adeniran family to establish a scientific verification of the underlying cause of her death before her burial.

“We immediately notified regulatory stakeholders and agencies to allow for a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of the developments.

“In spite of the compelling imperatives to fill any information gaps in public space, we stopped short of making any media sensation out of this, because the deceased in question, was a minor and is deserving of our unqualified respect.

“We also prioritised according respect to the privacy of the family and were with them consistently, to mourn together. This is a painful loss for all of us,” it added.

While mourning Whitney Adeniran, the management and staff of the Lagos-based school said they feel the deep pain of this loss and their thoughts and prayers are with the family.

“As we continue to uphold the sobriety of this moment, we resist any urge to join issues on her treasured memory, in media trends.

“As we await the outcome of an independent post-mortem process, we remain unwaveringly committed to supporting the family at this critical moment and pray fervently for the fortitude to bear her painful loss,” the statement added.