Virgin Mary statue topples, kills 3-year-old girl

A three-year-old girl died in a freak accident in Tondo, Manila yesterday when a seven-foot statue of the Virgin Mary tumbled from its stand on a parked tricycle and fell on her.

Doctors at the Mary Johnston Hospital failed to revive the unconscious Bea Venoya, of Nicodemus street in Tondo, and declared her dead an hour later from head and body injuries.

Senior Police Officer 2 Richard Lumbad said Bea’s nanny, Analiza Isidro, 18, took her and her five-month-old baby sister to a nearby store at around 8:45 a.m.

While Isidro was buying a softdrink with the baby in her arms, Bea went to get a closer look at a seven-foot statue of the Virgin Mary that was on an “open” tricycle parked nearby. Just then some children clambered onto the tricycle and unbalanced the vehicle. The statue fell and landed on Bea. Bystanders rushed the girl to the hospital.

Lumbad said the girl’s parents both work at a garments shop in Divisoria, leaving their two children in the care of their nanny.

Lumbad said the statue of the Virgin Mary, made of cast cement and steel, is the patron saint of Sta. Quiteria district in Caloocan City, which traditionally joins the yearly procession of the feast of the Sto. Niño in Tondo being celebrated today.

The image’s sponsor, a certain Ramoncito de Guzman, promised the girl’s parents he would shoulder the burial expenses, according to Lumbad. The parents chose not to file charges against the image’s sponsor, Lumbad added.