A father and his young son's desperate plight to feed their family by scouring refuse bags for scraps of food ended in tragedy when the boy died after consuming leftover liquid from a bottle.
Altee Willard, 9, died in his father's arms in Bluewater Bay on Tuesday, while foaming from the mouth and nose after consuming the liquid.
The family suspects that the liquid might have been a poisonous substance.
A traumatised Alwyn Willard, 47, told Algoa FM News that digging through people's black bags in Bluewater Bay on a Tuesday had become the only way in which to feed their family on that day.
He said whatever scraps they managed to find were taken home to share with the rest of the family, and are often the only thing that stands between him and his family from going to bed hungry for yet another night.
Alwyn and his son left their shack in the Nomakanji township in Motherwell early on Tuesday morning, fully aware that they needed to be quick if they were to beat the dump trucks before the rubbish bags were loaded.
Altee did not attend school on Tuesday, because the only school uniform he had was wet due to pouring rain the day before.
Alwyn says while rummaging through the black bags, Altee found a bottle that contained a liquid, which they assumed to be a left-over cold drink in between the bags.
According to Alwyn, he said had offered him some of the drink, but he told Altee that he did not want any cold drink.
"Not long thereafter, he told me that the drink was burning his throat. I told him there must be something stronger in there like Whiskey.
"He asked me to taste it for a second time, but I declined."
Mere moments later, Altee's pupils became dilated and he was stumbling, barely being able to walk, Alwyn recalled tearfully.
"I realised that this was serious. He fell backward into my arms and started to foam from the nose and mouth.
"He was shaking uncontrollably. I screamed for help and then the shaking stopped.
"My son died in my arms," he said.
Before Altee was confirmed dead, Alwyn flagged down vehicles and begged them to take his son to a hospital.
Two motorists who stopped felt Altee's pulse and told Alwyn that he had died.
Police were called to the scene.
Alwyn said the family's problems started when he lost his job in November last year and could no longer provide for his family.
The situation is so desperate that the family of eight often goes to bed hungry. Alwyn says this led to the practice of rummaging through other people's dirt to find food.
The family moved to Motherwell from Malabar in 2021.
Altee was a learner at Canzibe Public Primary School.
Suspected chemicals
The Facebook Page Bluewater Bay Echo states that, Craig Hendricks, Chairman of the Bluewater Bay Neighbourhood Watch iPatrol, put out an emotional message on various suburban WhatsApp groups regarding the incident.
The post reads:
"It is believed someone discarded chemicals in the bottle when disposing their trash.
"The bottle was not marked as dangerous, leaving the boy unaware of the danger.
"The chemicals were so toxic that even immediate intervention could not have saved him.
"The tragedy highlights the need for responsibility and care when disposing of potentially harmful substances."
He urged everyone in the community to never discard toxic chemicals with household waste.
Inquest
Police spokesperson, Captain Andre Beetge said an inquest docket was opened and is investigated by SAPS Swartkops.
According to Beetge the boy and his father were rummaging through refuse bags for foodstuffs in Zephyr Street, in Bluewater Bay at about 05:50 on 28 January.
Beetge said it is further alleged by the father that the boy found a cold drink bottle containing a liquid.
After he drank the liquid, he fainted and passed away on the scene.
