Valdeen Shears-Neptune
Young footballer Isiah Scoon is fighting for his life at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope.
The Standard Five student of Eastern Boys Government was struck by a car around President’s Grounds, Queen’s Park Savannah, where he had gone to play football on Sunday morning.
The accident has left him unconscious and hooked up to machines as he is unable to breathe on his own.
His family found out about his accident after they filed a missing person’s report at the Besson Street Police Station that same evening.
Initial reports indicate that the 13-year-old who lives at Nelson Street, Port-of-Spain, with his mom, Kasana Prentiss and seven-year-old sister Kayla, when he ran into the road to retrieve a football.
However, in a telephone interview, Scoon’s aunt Latoya Phillip, said she was told by eyewitnesses that her nephew was attempting to cross the road when he was side-swiped by an on-coming vehicle.
Phillip said that her nephew usually goes to the Savannah on a Sunday morning to play football and return home around 2 pm. She said when he did not return home by late evening, a search was mounted. A report was subsequently made to the police.
She said as they continued the search, the police called and said someone fitting the boy’s description was involved in an accident.
“We understand that the driver made a report at the Belmont Station as soon as the accident happened. I met the driver at the station and he said he tried his best to avoid my nephew, but a maxi alongside him obstructed him from doing so.”
Phillip said she understands that a doctor who saw the accident took her nephew to the hospital. She said a female passenger in the car which struck him, also accompanied them to the hospital.
“Several people, including soldiers assisted my nephew and for that I am eternally grateful,” Phillip said.
She also expressed gratitude to husband and wife Ray Matthews, Warrant Officer, Clerk II of the Defence Force and Deborah Mohammed, who had posted an alert on the Facebook foodgroup page. Matthews, who is also a football coach, had received a message that one of his boys was involved in an accident. However, when he responded he realised that was not one of his students. He and his wife then posted the incident on Facebook and their telephone contact for anyone knowing the child to contact them.
They were even awaiting a photograph from the doctors treating the boy to put up on social media when his family were informed.
“I visited nearby stations, hospitals and eventually met the boy’s family here at Mt Hope. As parents, Deborah and I couldn’t just turn our backs and say ‘Oh well is no one we know’. At least now we know he is with his family, who is praying for his speedy recovery and justice,” Matthews stated.
By late evening yesterday, Phillip said doctors reported that Isiah had suddenly sat up, took a breathe and fell back into unconsciousness. The family, she said, is holding on to the hope that it is a sign that he will fully recover.
Investigations are continuing.