2 kids die, father in critical condition after eating ‘kuret’ crab in Cagayan

TUGUEGARAO CITY — Two children died on Friday (Feb. 12), while their father is in critical condition after allegedly consuming “kuret,” a type of coral reef crab, in the Cagayan town of Santa Ana, local authorities said on Saturday (Feb. 13).

Doctors were unable to save five-year-old Reign Clark Cuabo and his two-year-old sibling Macniel Craigs.

Tangatan village chief Isabelo Cariño said the children’s father, Eugenio Cuabo Sr., gathered the crabs which the six-member family had for a meal.

Shortly after eating, the children complained suffering a wave of numbness and were taken to the hospital but they did not survive treatment. Eugenio remains under critical care.

The village chief described the Cuabo family as indigent. But other residents have eaten “kuret” before, Cariño said.

He, however, said a food poisoning case occurred in 1980 involving the same type of crab.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources took samples of the crab eaten by the family for laboratory tests.

Mayor Nelson Robinion said the local government has allocated P30,000 for the burial expenses of the dead children and medical assistance to their father.

JPV