7-year-old girl crushed allegedly by falling hotel gate in Berbice

An investigation has been launched into the death of a seven-year-old student of Skeldon Primary School, who died on Sunday evening, after an iron gate allegedly fell on her at Taj Mahal Hotel and Bar in Corriverton, Berbice, police said.Dead is Kareena Persaud, who was residing at the hotel with her 40-year-old aunt, who works as a manager at the establishment.
In her report to cops, the aunt stated that on Sunday night at about 20:30h, she was preparing to close the doors of the hotel when she heard her niece call out to her. Upon turning around, she saw the heavy iron gate, made of hollow-section metal and weighing approximately 250 pounds, had fallen on Kareena, who was lying on the ground with head injuries and bleeding. The woman said she screamed for help, and bystanders assisted in lifting the gate off the child, who was rushed to Skeldon Public Hospital. She was however, pronounced dead on arrival.
Reports are that the aunt has been caring for Kareena since the girl was just four months old, after her biological mother abandoned her. The woman told Police that she had recently relocated to Berbice, where she took up employment at her uncle’s hotel. Despite moving into a house at No. 77 Village Housing Scheme a week prior, she and the child spent most of their time at the hotel, the woman told police.
Police said that they were notified at about 23:00h and visited the hospital where the child’s body was in the Emergency Room. A detective noted a visible cut on her forehead. According to Police, they have also identified several CCTV cameras at the hotel that will be reviewed as part of the investigation.