Boy dies after compressed air assault

[wpgmappity id=”885″]

MANILA, Philippines—A 4-year-old boy died several hours after a gasoline station attendant allegedly forced compressed air into the child’s anus using a hose for inflating tires.

Police identified the victim as Jevy Millanila, who died in hospital more than 12 hours after the alleged assault last Thursday afternoon.

Case investigator SPO1 Cristituto Zaldarriaga said police arrested 21-year-old Jeffry Namoco, a car wash attendant of the Caltex station at the corner of Retiro and Kanlaon Streets in Barangay Maharlika, Quezon City.

Police are preparing a homicide charge against the suspect, a resident of Barangay Culiat.

Zaldarriaga said Millanila, a Barangay Maharlika resident, was playing near the compressed air hose of the gas station at around 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

This apparently irked Namoco, prompting him to scold the child, who kept on playing near the hose.

The victim’s older brother, Resty, told police that at one point, he saw the child fall to the ground.

Zaldarriaga said Namoco was seen with the air hose in his hand, pointed toward the victim.

The boy’s parents rushed him to the Sta. Teresita Hospital, where the victim died during treatment at around 2:30 a.m. Friday.

Zaldarriaga said an initial investigation showed that the boy’s stomach was pumped with air although the autopsy results have yet to be released.