GQEBERHA – Little Learners Preschool Academy has appealed to parents and members of the community to respect the privacy of a grieving family following the death of a four-month-old baby girl at the Newton Park preschool.

The baby died at the Sixth Avenue preschool on Wednesday, 26 August, after she was found unresponsive while sleeping.

Police previously said the baby had been fed at about 11:30 and placed down for a nap at around 12:15. At about 16:30, a nanny went to check on her and found her unresponsive.

The school principal was alerted and the baby was declared deceased at the scene.

A postmortem examination established that the infant died as a result of a “natural medical condition”, according to police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana.

SAPS Mount Road is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death as an inquest.

“While the investigation into the full circumstances surrounding this incident remains ongoing, at this stage, no foul play is suspected,” said Gantana.

In a social media post, Little Learners Preschool Academy asked parents and community members not to post or comment about the incident on social media.

“Following a tragic bereavement within our school community, we respectfully request that all parents and community members refrain from posting or commenting about the incident on social media,” the school said.

“This is an intensely difficult time for the family involved and their privacy and dignity must be respected. We ask everyone to avoid speculation and allow the family the space to grieve.”

The school thanked the community for its “compassion, discretion, and support”.

Police have similarly appealed to the public to respect the family’s privacy and refrain from speculation while the investigation continues.

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