An eight-year-old girl died after being accidentally struck by a falling coconut tree in Sitio Manipis, Barangay Bagaba-o, Leyte, Leyte, on Monday afternoon.
The victim, identified as MJP, a Grade 3 pupil and resident of the barangay, was reportedly on her way to buy fish when the coconut tree-being cut by two men-suddenly fell and hit her.
The men, identified only as ‘Pino,’ 42, married, a chief tanod, and ‘Pabs,’ 38, married, a farmer, both residents of Barangay Mataloto, were cutting the tree when the accident occurred.
According to police, they received a call around 1:30 p.m. from a police auxiliary of Barangay Mataloto, reporting the incident. Responding officers immediately proceeded to the scene and found the child lying unconscious on the ground.
With the assistance of the police, the victim’s family rushed her to the Leyte Rural Health Unit, but she was declared dead on arrival at around 3:45 p.m. by the attending physician.
Following the incident, the two men voluntarily surrendered to authorities and turned over the chainsaw used in cutting the tree. They are now under the custody of the Leyte Municipal Police Station for proper disposition and investigation