A distraught father, Henry Airenekhuemen, has called for a thorough investigation into the death of his son, Mattias, who allegedly drowned in a swimming pool at Signatious Hotel in the Ajao Estate area of Lagos State.
Airenekhuemen said his son had attended a pool party at the hotel on Saturday evening to sell tickets and earn some money.
However, the family’s evening took a tragic turn when one of Mattias’ elder brothers called to say he had been rushed to Isolo General Hospital and that a family member should come immediately.
On arrival, the father said he was devastated to find his son already lifeless inside the vehicle that had transported him to the hospital.
“I was told he drowned in the hotel’s swimming pool,” Airenekhuemen recounted.
“But when I got there, my son was already dead in the back seat of the car.”
According to him, one of Mattias’ friends explained that the deceased had been sitting with him and a lady before he briefly stepped away.
About five minutes later, attempts to reach Mattias by phone failed. When the friend returned, the lady reportedly said Mattias had left, even though his phone was still at the spot, charging.
A search of the premises allegedly led to the discovery of his body in the pool.
The father, however, expressed doubts about the drowning claim, citing what he described as unusual signs on his son’s body.
“If he truly drowned, why was his stomach flat and not swollen? Why was there foam coming from his mouth and nose?” he asked.
He said the family reported the matter to the police, who visited the hospital, documented the scene, and moved the body to the morgue.
Officers later inspected the hotel and reportedly questioned the absence of a diver or pool supervisor at the time of the incident.
Airenekhuemen disclosed that three people — the hotel manager, the lady who was with Mattias, and the friend who claimed to have found him in the pool — are currently being detained at the Ajao Estate Police Division as investigations continue.
The manager was said to have been unable to immediately provide CCTV footage, claiming he had just resumed work at the hotel.
The grieving father also raised further suspicions, alleging that someone who identified himself as a hotel staff member contacted the family and attempted to negotiate a settlement.
“One of my sons received a call from someone asking what we wanted to settle the issue.
“Also, the party continued that same night even after my son was found dead. That made everything look suspicious,” he said.
When our correspondent visited the hotel on Monday, only minimal activity was observed.
A staff member at the gate claimed the facility was undergoing renovations and temporarily closed, adding that the manager was unavailable.
Efforts to get a reaction from the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, were unsuccessful, as calls and messages sent to her had not been answered at the time of filing this report.
The incident adds to growing concerns over safety standards at swimming pools in hotels and recreational centres.
Authorities in several states have recently called for stricter safety measures following similar drowning cases.
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