BACOLOD City — A Grade 4 pupil was found dead after being buried in sand in Purok 1, Barangay Tiling, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, on February 9.
Police identified the victim as alias “Niko,” 11 years old and a resident of the area.
The Cauayan Municipal Police Station (MPS) said it received a phone call from a concerned citizen at around 3:20 p.m. on Monday reporting the discovery of a body. A police alert team and a duty investigator immediately responded to verify the report and conduct an investigation.
Initial findings showed that the boy was last seen playing near the shoreline. While relatives were searching for him, his aunt noticed that a portion of the sand appeared unusually soft.
She sought assistance to dig the area, and the boy’s body was later discovered buried beneath the sand.
The victim was rushed to the Cauayan Health Office, where he was declared dead at around 4:50 p.m. by the attending physician. His remains were subsequently subjected to a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.
Police said no visible injuries were found on the victim’s body.
Authorities said the boy had earlier been warned by relatives to stop digging the sand as the pit had already become deep. However, he reportedly continued digging despite the warning.
Police believe the victim may have been trapped and suffocated when the sand collapsed. They said they are awaiting the results of the post-mortem examination to confirm the exact cause of death./PN
