Girl, 4, dies in freak PE class accident after getting head trapped

05 April 2024 , 15:18

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Sidra Atmane trapped her head between the bars of a climbing frame and became stuck (Image: Jam Press)

A young girl has died after a freak accident during a PE lesson at her school.

Sidra Atmane tragically passed away in hospital on 2 April after she was injured on Good Friday and spent several days in a coma. At approximately 11am, she was taking part in a gymnastics lesson at Sint-Martinus school in Burcht, near Antwerp, in Belgium. Sidra trapped her head between the bars of a climbing frame and found herself stuck.

According to local press, she allegedly choked on the equipment, however, her exact cause of death has not yet been announced. It is believed her difficulty in breathing prompted a heart attack. Her parents told local media: “What we know is that Sidra went up the climbing frame at one point and probably put her head between the bars.

Sint-Martinus school in Burcht, Belgium (Jam Press)

“He [the gymnastics teacher] started resuscitation attempts, and afterwards the ambulances took over. They had to resuscitate her for 45 minutes.” The little girl arrived at the hospital just after noon in critical condition, as reported by NeedToKnow. Sidra's family was given hope on Sunday when she appeared to stabilise for a while, but her condition sadly worsened on Monday and she died the day after.

Her mother said: “Sidra was always a very healthy and cheerful child. […]…we are also very angry.” School director Geert De Corte told local. media: “This incident has hit us very hard. We are all trying to process it together. We have yet to learn the exact cause of death. As there are a lot of questions about that, it is not yet clear what exactly happened.” The investigation is ongoing. Sint-Martinus school has been contacted for comment.

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