Tree branch boy still critical

Aaryan Joshua has been in a coma since December 10, after a tree branch fell on him.

Aaryan Joshua has been in a coma since December 10, after a tree branch fell on him.

Published Dec 23, 2017

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THE Joshua family of Umbilo will spend Christmas in hospital as they pray for the recovery of Aaryan, 12, who lies in a coma after being hit by a falling tree branch.

Two weeks after the incident, his mother said that Aaryan’s condition was still “critical”.

“We don’t know how long he will be in hospital because his injury is severe. The doctor cannot give us answers, (Aaryan) is still in ICU. The brain swelling is massive,” she said.

Aaryan, who just completed Grade 6 at Carrington Primary School, in Umbilo, had been walking home from church with his granny and siblings on December 10.

They walked past the Queensmead Hockey Stadium. Near the corner of Umbilo and Hillier roads, a tree branch fell on Aaryan’s head and also struck his granny, Nancy Soobramoney, 61.

Aaryan was taken to Entabeni Hospital with severe swelling to the brain, while  Soobramoney broke a femur and was taken to King Edward VIII Hospital.

Aaryan’s mother has been shuttling between the two hospitals, to visit her mother and son.

“More tests have been done in the past few days, and we will still be here over Christmas. It’s been an extremely difficult time for our family,” she said.

She said that she had received a call from the eThekwini municipality’s claims department to process a claim for the injuries suffered by Aaryan. 

However, she said she would seek legal opinion.

“We really don’t know much at this point and I do not want to rush into anything,” Joshua said.

The branch had apparently been reported to the eThekwini parks department because it had been hanging dangerously after recent storms.

Tozi Mthethwa, spokeswoman for eThekwini Municipality, reiterated its statement from last week. 

“Our parks department conducted a site visit and found no trees located in the street,” she said. 

“We cannot establish the actual location or find any evidence of a heavy branch in the street that could be the cause of any alleged injury,” Mthethwa said.

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