A 19-year-old girl died after her family was attacked by thousands of bees while cleaning their farm in Barangay Fatima, New Bataan, Davao de Oro. Her parents were injured and remain under medical care.
In an exclusive interview with Brigada, Emmanuel Cañas, the victim’s father, shared the heartbreaking account. He said they were clearing weeds on their land when the bees suddenly swarmed. Emmanuel, who was outside the house, was stung first.
“I thought I was the only one,” he said. But then he heard his wife and daughter screaming. Despite the pain, he rushed to help them. He managed to carry Monica while they were being stung and recalled that she ran a few meters before collapsing by a creek.
The location was far from the barangay center, and it took hours before neighbors arrived to help. The family was taken to the hospital, but Monica was declared dead on arrival.
Emmanuel and his wife survived, but both sustained severe stings to their faces and bodies, making them nearly unrecognizable. “It hurts knowing I gave everything I had, but still couldn’t save my daughter,” he said. As of this writing, the parents are still under medical observation, while Monica lies in wake at their home.
