Truanting child drowns in 'pool' at building site

Truanting child drowns in 'pool' at building site

JAKARTA (JP): It is not a swimming pool but children swim in
the flooded excavation at the Kuningan Tower apartment site on
Jl. Casablanca, South Jakarta.

Reno Marciano, a second-grade student of Budi Asih junior high
school, drowned there last Thursday.

Reno and seven of his school friends were truanting when they
went to the pool, about five kilometers from their school.

Despite the developer's sign which warned children not to swim
at the site, they took off their shirts and jumped in.

Tubagus Herman Wijaya, a spokesman for the developer PT Puri
Diamond Pratama, said over the weekend that children occasionally
swam at the site.

"We have installed fences and erected a warning sign. They
don't care. We have dispersed them many times, but they come back
as soon as we leave," Herman said.

But he said the company could not turn a blind eye to Reno's
death. "We have sent condolences and money to Reno's parents."

A police sergeant at the South Jakarta Police precinct said:
"Reno jumped into the hole which was flooded by rain water, but
he couldn't swim."

He said Nagato, one of Reno's friends ran to the site's
security post and asked for someone to save Reno. But Reno had
died by the time a guard and locals got to the pool.

The children told police they avoided school because they
couldn't afford text books.

The school's principal, Abun Sumitra, denied yesterday that
the school made students buy books.

"There is no requirement like this," Abun said.

He said Reno was a naughty student who had spent two years in
first grade.

Police said Reno's death should warn parents to take more care
of their children.

The sergeant said Reno's death was not the developer's fault.
(jun)