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)