DPP Orders Inquest into 2023 Death of Toddler

By Michael Jordan

February 10 2025- The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has ordered an inquest into the tragic death of one-year-old Raheem Fung, who succumbed to head injuries on September 19, 2023, while in the care of a babysitter.

Under United Kingdom laws, inquests are conducted by a coroner to determine the circumstances surrounding an individual’s death, particularly when it is believed that the death was not due to natural causes.

The process involves witness testimonies from investigators, medical professionals, and family members and may include a jury.

The DPP’s decision follows a lengthy investigation, during which the case file was sent back to police on multiple occasions for further information.

The file reportedly contains a statement from Raheem’s seven-year-old brother, who alleged that he had witnessed the toddler being struck with a whip and a slipper on previous occasions.

Additionally, a resident of Circuitville, Yarrowkabra, has provided a written statement claiming to have seen the child being physically assaulted.

Raheem’s parents also presented recordings of two other individuals who claimed to have seen the toddler being slapped and locked outside.

The parents had previously noticed bruises on their son’s body before he sustained his fatal injury.

Raheem, who lived with his parents in Circuitville, Yarrowkabra, on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he later died.

The cause of death was determined to be shock and haemorrhage due to head trauma.

The babysitter, a relative of Raheem’s father, Kevin Fung, was arrested but later released pending the outcome of the investigation.

The child’s parents had repeatedly expressed frustration over the prolonged duration of the investigation. With the DPP now ordering an inquest, they are hoping for justice for their son.