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Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Taradale death - Aryan was 'fun-loving, happy child'

Hawkes Bay Today
7 Sep, 2015 06:46 PM3 mins to read

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Aryan Banerjee with his parents Anjan and Maumita. Photo / Supplied

Aryan Banerjee with his parents Anjan and Maumita. Photo / Supplied

A little boy's brave battle for life was finally lost yesterday.

After months of fighting, flights, long days and nights spent in constant limbo - Aryan Banerjee died "peacefully" in his parents' arms at Hawke's Bay Hospital.

The "happy" 9-year-old's life and that of his family changed forever when he went to Taradale Primary School on May 25 and was later found unconscious after being hooked on a toilet window by his shirt.

An ambulance was called just after 1pm.

Father, Anjan, a Hawke's Bay GP and mother Maumita faced the heartbreak ahead - watching many downs and occasional ups of their son's life after the incident.

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They had struggled to see their once active, loving child who liked playing Halo, Minecraft and football suffer brain damage and many other complications - pain, dystonia, pneumonia and complications with his feeding tube.

His legs and arms did not function independently and doctors could do little to ease their concerns.

He had been back in Hawke's Bay for just a couple of weeks when "it all went to hell in a handcart," and Aryan's condition deteriorated significantly. An obstructed bowel and aspiration pneumonia led to the outcome no parent would want to face.

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"We had prepared ourselves for this possibility, but it still hurts," Mr Banerjee said yesterday. "You should never outlive your kids".

He leaves behind 11-year-old brother Anshul, devastated parents, grandparents, extended family and friends. His body will be cremated.

Mr Banerjee hoped his son would be remembered not for what happened to him, but how he lived life.

"He was a fun-loving child who was friendly and wanted to play with everyone and anyone."

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It's the second major loss their family endured this year after Anjan's father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and passed away soon after Aryan's accident.

Worksafe, the Government's workplace safety agency said yesterday its investigation was ongoing and no comment could be made at this stage.

There were still more questions than answers in the case that shook a community to its core.

Circumstances surrounding the incident had not been fully explained, but reports at the time said Aryan was believed to have climbed out a toilet window after the door wouldn't open.

After their initial investigations police would not reveal any details but were treating it as an accident.

Aryan was resuscitated and taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital, he was later put into a coma and flown to Starship children's hospital in Auckland.

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Taradale Primary School board of trustees chairman Steve Alexander said it received confirmation that Aryan had passed away, yesterday.

"We extend our deepest sympathies to the Banerjee family," he said.

"He was a much-loved member of our school.

"Our immediate priority is to support Aryan's family, and to focus on the wellbeing of all his friends and classmates, as well as the wider school community."

Mr Alexander said in the days ahead it would work with the Ministry of Education's support team, and would continue to provide details of grief counselling to the families of pupils.

"The WorkSafe NZ investigation into the May accident is continuing - the school will not be making any further comment until these investigations are complete."

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Taradale Primary Principal Marty Hantz could not be contacted last night.

Mr Banerjee believed the Worksafe report would be released on September 25.

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