By Makur Adut

A 21-year-old boy, Laat Dut Theem’s life was cut short when he jumped into stagnant water and drowned in the Cuei-adukan area of Rumbek Centre County.

Major Elijah Mabor Makuac, Lakes State police spokesperson confirmed the incident, saying that the boy drowned in the floodwater.

He said it was a construction site previously used by the ARC construction company for extracting murram.

“All the children used to go there to swim in that stagnant water, but unfortunately this boy drowned and never appeared at all, until when the information reached the family,” he said.

He said they tried to search for the body for the first time but failed to rerieve it. They had to involve the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) field office in Rumbek.

“We went to the scene and we found out the hole was very big pit-liked as was described to us by the residents of that area who know the place.”

“We waited for the other day until this morning when the body appeared, floating on water,” Mabor said.

He said the body appeared to have been stuck down because of too much mud inside the holes.

Mabor said the police handed over the body to the family.

“This is a very tragic incident, and the body now has been taken home for burial,” he said, adding:

“These cases have always happened since the road construction started. There are so many holes being dug by the ARC construction company and there is no proper protection.”

According to him, each time the children try to go to such places, the risk drowning in the water, and that many cases have been been registered, from Awerial County to Maloupech.

“It is very dangerous. I advise people and especially parents, to take care of their children and the children not to play in water at such places because it is very dangerous,” Major Mabor advised.