Africa-Press – South-Africa. Ethan Sass, who was knocked down by a speeding taxi while he was collecting water from a tanker in Coronationville, Johannesburg, last month, has died.
His father, Fabian, confirmed to News24 that his 13-year-old son had succumbed to his injuries at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital around 19:00 on Wednesday.
“We are not coping,” a weeping Fabian said.
Ethan died after spending close to a month in ICU at Baragwanath Hospital.
He was knocked down on 12 October while crossing Fuel Road in Coronationville, where residents would collect water because Johannesburg Water had failed to supply running water to homes and businesses in several parts of the city.
Ethan was left in a critical condition and put into an induced coma after his lungs collapsed. He had also suffered damage to the brain and had a blood clot.
Sass told News24 that he was shocked when he arrived at the hospital on Tuesday and noticed that his son had been moved out of ICU and into a regular ward.
“I went to go fight with the doctors in the ICU unit. She [the doctor] just decided to move Ethan out of ICU to a normal ward. She never handed over proper documentation to the ward or explained what must happen.
He said:
Sass then addressed the issue with the doctor, who decided to move his son out of the ICU when he returned to the hospital on Wednesday.
“She said she apologised and knows that she faulted us in what she said.”
When asked how he felt about the treatment they had received at the hospital, Sass wept uncontrollably.
“I have no words.”
The family opened a case at the Sophiatown police station after the incident, but Gauteng police could not immediately comment on any progress in the matter.
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