ORION, Bataan — Three children, all girls, died of suspected suffocation after they were trapped for hours inside a parked car here last Monday.
Capt. Dennis Orbista, Orion police chief, identified the victims as Shamel Algehla Morales, 8, Grade 3; Agatha Morales, 9, Grade 4 and Paulaine Keziah Morales, 6, Grade 1, all from Barangay Sto. Domingo here.
He said that one of the victims is a daughter of Jessie Morales, a safety officer of an oil company who is using the company vehicle, while the two were neighbors and playmates.
It was, however, learned from relatives at the wake that all three were cousins. The parents begged off to be interviewed and asked not to video the wake. They said that being relatives, they have settled the problem among themselves.
The police chief said a neighbor reported that the victims were last seen playing near the parked company vehicle.
Orbista said that hours later when Jessie went near the car at about 4 p.m. he noticed that the children were inside the car and no longer moving.
“Binuksan niya ang pintuan at nang hindi na nagrerespond ang mga bata, dinala ang mga ito sa ospital kung saan namatay dahil nasuffocate,” he said.
Investigation showed that the car’s door can be opened from outside but cannot be opened from inside, the police chief said.
