Barclay Farm, Margibi County – A tragic scene unfolded in the quiet community of Barclay Farm on Tuesday, September 30, when a two-year-three-month-old girl, Victoria Cooper, was killed instantly after a portion of a weakened wall collapsed on her.
The heartbreaking incident occurred in the early afternoon hours at the family’s residence ~ an old but still occupied house that had long shown signs of structural decay due to persistent rainfall in the region. While not completely abandoned, one section of the home had become unusable due to a severely leaking roof, according to local residents.
The child’s mother, 32-year-old Helena Flomo, went to sell pears at the time of the incident – part of her daily hustle to provide for her two children following the tragic death of her husband last year.
In an emotionally charged interview with Verity News, Helena, weeping uncontrollably, recalled the last moments she had with her daughter that morning.
“I bathed my baby, dressed her, and left her with my sister so I could go out and sell and find something for them to eat,” she said amid tears. “I lost my husband just last October — he was robbed and killed. Now my child is gone too. God, why only me?”
Her words echo the agony of a mother who has suffered back-to-back tragedies — first the brutal murder of her husband, and now the untimely death of her infant daughter.
According to eyewitnesses and family members, Victoria was passing near the disused section of the house when part of the rain-soaked mud wall collapsed, crushing her before help could arrive.
Community members rushed to the scene upon hearing the cries of the family but were too late to save the toddler. Some neighbors reportedly helped pull the child’s body from the rubble while others tried to comfort the inconsolable mother.
“This is a very sad day for all of us,” said James Kortu, Barclay Administrator. “That little girl was always smiling and playing. To see her go like this is beyond heartbreaking.”
A 15-man coroner jury, summoned to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, ruled out foul play. Their report confirmed that the child died due to injuries sustained from the collapse of the weakened wall, made vulnerable after months of exposure to rain.
Local authorities have yet to comment on whether any structural inspections or safety measures will be enforced in the wake of the tragedy. However, many in the community are calling for urgent government intervention in addressing unsafe housing conditions, especially in impoverished communities like Barclay Farm.
Meanwhile, the Cooper-Flomo family remains plunged in mourning, struggling to come to terms with another devastating loss. The body of little Victoria has since been buried.
As Helena Flomo continues to grapple with unimaginable grief, her haunting words linger in the minds of all who witnessed her pain:
“Why only me, God?”
