Teenager dies after falling off van

An 18-year-old youth of Munroe Road, Cunupia died on Wednesday, two days after he fell off the tray of a van at Mausica Road, Arima.

Samuel Mathew Christopher was reportedly sitting in the tray of the van around 1.30 pm on Monday when the freak accident occured. He was rushed to the Chaguanas Health Centre where he was treated and warded at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. He never regained consciousness. The driver of the van, co-worker Shaheed Mohammed, of Chin Chin Road, Cunupia, was interviewed by the police and a statement recorded.

Yesterday, friends and relatives of the dead man gathered at his Munroe Road, Cunupia home to pay their respects. His elder brother Steve told Newsday that his brother was still on duty and returning to work when the incident occurred. The family expressed their intention to seek legal advice in the matter. According to Steve, although his brother was employed at a processing plant, his dream was to become an electrical engineer. During the funeral service yesterday, relatives and friends of the dead teenager were unable to contain their grief and their screams of sorrow could be heard a distance away. During the eulogy, read by Steve, the agony of grief seemed etched on the faces of his close relatives.