Alexandra girl dies, mom and brother in hospital after eating spaza shop snacks

An 11-year-old girl has died, and her mother and younger brother are in critical condition after allegedly eating snacks from a local spaza shop in Alexandra, Johannesburg.

According to the girl’s father, Joshua Maaboi, his daughter had said the snacks tasted "strange".

The child's mother had some of the snacks, apparently to understand what her daughter was complaining about.

On the way, she was unable to breathe. When we got to the clinic, I dropped her at the emergency room, we were called after some minutes to be informed of her passing.

—  Joshua Maaboi

Later, the child started complaining about pains in her chest.

When her condition deteriorated, the family rushed her to the nearby Masakhane clinic.

"On the way, she was unable to breathe. When we got to the clinic, I dropped her at the emergency room, we were called after some minutes to be informed of her passing," Maaboi said.

While at the clinic, the mother also began experiencing severe stomach pain. Her 4-year-old son, who also had some of the snacks, also fell sick.

Both mother and son were later taken to Edenvale Hospital. Maaboi said they were both in a critical situation, adding that police had taken statements last night but did not issue a case number.

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