Young Adam Faclier's toes were partially amputated after they were caught in a rented quad bike's chain on 1 July, but role players differ about where Adam was seated when he was injured. According to Go Quading owner,
Tevon Thom, the operator assured him that the young boy was seated behind his father, Dean, while Adam's aunt Nina Mensing says that Adam was sitting on his father's lap. "One of the older children got his own adult size quad bike, while the four-year-old sat on his dad's lap. They had hardly pulled away when Adam's toes were caught in the chain."
"He was rushed to hospital in George and had to have almost two hours of surgery to repair the damage. Luckily, his toes did not need to be completely amputated," exclaimed Mensing, who asked: "Why is a tourist company in your area allowed to be operating for the public, when there are absolutely no safety procedures in place?"
Thom, who was not on site, referred to the operator's written statement in which he disagreed that Adam was sitting on his father's lap and explained that Adam's father was requested not to let the boy ride pillion. "According to the operator the father was asked not to let Adam ride behind him. He also says that he had issued helmets to the entire group, but said that the father had chosen not to wear one."
On hearing this, a furious Leasa Faclier, Adam's mum, insisted that in the party of four children and two adults, "all but one were sharing the quad bikes and were riding pillion and nobody was told not to and when asked if they needed to wear helmets they were told it was a safe route and not necessary." When Leasa went back to investigate two days later, the operation only had three helmets and two bicycle helmets available for all the quad bikes.
Adam has had to endure further surgery. "Due to Dr's [name withheld] negligent treatment of Adam's injuries, he has had to endure three further operations." Leasa described how Adam's bandages were so tightly wound around his foot by the attending George doctor that there was no room for swelling, causing him excruciating pain. "On our return to Cape Town on Friday 5 July we immediately took him to our surgeon who removed the bandages to discover the foot had gone gangrenous from the tight bandaging."
Adam then needed a further two operations to cut away necrotic tissue and a third to perform a final skin graft. "Had we followed the George doctor's advice of leaving the bandages on the foot for a week, Adam would have lost his foot."
This group had no idea that within moments of this photograph being taken, Adam Faclier (4) would have three of his toes partially amputated after getting his foot caught in the quad bike's chain. From left: Eden Faclier, Dean Faclier with Adam and Lily and Leo Faclier. Russell Faclier seated himself behind Leo after he took the photograph.
ARTICLE: FRAN KIRSTEN, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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