Grandmother Dies After False News Of Granddaughter’s Death

A 90-year-old woman died after suffering what doctors believe was a fatal cardiac episode triggered by the shock of hearing that her granddaughter had been killed in a road accident. The devastating twist came shortly afterwards, when the granddaughter was found alive and unharmed.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening, 16 August, in North Alampur village under Jaylaskar Union of Daganbhuiyan upazila in Feni. The deceased, Khairun Nessa, was the wife of Badiur Rahman of Suta Byapari Bari in the village.

According to relatives and local residents, a road accident took place at Silonya Bazar on Sunday afternoon. A sixth-grade pupil of Silonya High School was reportedly killed in the accident. At around the same time, another pupil of the same school, Khairun Nessa’s granddaughter Jannatul Fahim, could not be found.

As family members searched for the girl without success, an unverified assumption that she had also died in the accident quickly spread among relatives. The rumour proved devastating for her elderly grandmother.

After hearing that her granddaughter had supposedly been killed, Khairun Nessa became overwhelmed with grief. Relatives said she suddenly collapsed inside her home and became unconscious.

Meanwhile, family members continued searching for Jannatul Fahim and eventually found her safe and in good health. The relatives then began returning home with the girl, expecting to bring relief to the family. Instead, they learned on the way that her grandmother had fallen seriously ill.

Khairun Nessa was rushed to Daganbhuiyan Upazila Health Complex. However, doctors pronounced her dead after she was brought to the facility.

Her son, Swapan Mia, said he had gone to Silonya Bazar after receiving news of the accident and had searched for his daughter. When he could not find her, he informed the family at home. His mother was deeply distressed after hearing that her granddaughter might have been among the victims.

He said the family later found his daughter alive, but by then it was too late to save his mother. The family was therefore confronted with the painful reality of losing an elderly relative at almost the same moment they discovered that the feared death of the child had never occurred.

Dr Ifrad Khandaker, a physician at Daganbhuiyan Upazila Health Complex, said the woman had died before reaching the hospital. He said the circumstances suggested that she may have suffered a cardiac event at home following severe emotional distress.

The incident has left the family grieving on two sharply contrasting fronts: relief at finding Jannatul Fahim safe and profound sorrow over the sudden death of her grandmother. It also highlights the potentially grave consequences of spreading unverified information, particularly when reports involve accidents, deaths or missing family members.

In situations involving road crashes or other emergencies, officials and relatives generally need to establish a victim’s identity before communicating news of a death. A rumour, even when spread unintentionally, can cause panic and severe emotional trauma for families already under immense stress.