By Svetlana Marshall

THE 31-year-old Essequibo Coast woman who was rescued after being held captive by her mother has reportedly expressed gratitude to Monica Edwards, the close family friend who took the recue team to the house where she (the victim) was being held in harsh conditions and against her will.Mrs Edwards told Guyana Chronicle on Sunday that the victim has thanked her for saving her life.

Strapped to her bed as a precautionary measure because she is now considered mentally ill, the woman is a patient at the Suddie Public Hospital, where she is reportedly recovering well.

“She is aware of her environment, and she is talking sensible things. She even told me what and what she wanted to eat, and I took it back for her,” Mrs Edwards said, even as she was preparing to make another visit to the hospital.

The 31-year-old woman was removed from her place of confinement in the community of the Richmond Housing Scheme last Thursday after Mrs Edwards told Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo of her tragic story.

Another resident, Marilyn Spellen, told Guyana Chronicle on Sunday that the young lady had been a nurse with a lot of promise.

“I am glad she is out of that house and in the hospital getting the treatment she really and badly needs. We are planning to visit her this afternoon (Sunday),” Mrs Spellen said.

Mrs Spellen has known the victim since she was a child. “That was a pleasant child, a decent child, an intelligent child,” she said. She does not support the actions of the victim’s 62-year-old mother in locking her daughter away, but Mrs Spellen said the mother should not be blamed entirely.

STRESS
“She was a single parent, and as a single parent I know the kind of stress she was under. I don’t agree with what she did, but I know she was under a lot stress,” the next door neighbour posited.

Validating the 62-year-old woman’s story, Mrs Spellen said that indeed, shortly after finishing high school, the young lady had taken a career in nursing. She left her Richmond Housing Scheme home to pursue her career in the capital city, Georgetown, and it was during this period of her life that she became mentally ill.

“I don’t know what caused it, but there was a time when she was wandering the streets of Georgetown; not for long though, because her mother went to get her,” Mrs Spellen disclosed.

Refuting the allegation that the young lady had been locked away from the outer world for approximately 10 years, Mrs Spellen said her mother had allowed her to “walk about” in the yard, but the gate was often padlocked.

VIOLENT
She said it was during the later stages of the young lady’s illness that she became violent, forcing her mother to build an additional room in the house.

“She became violent towards her mother and her brother. I could remember in 2014, it was Easter Monday, a night time, we had to rush to the mother, break the fence to rescue her because her daughter was choking her,” Mrs Spellen disclosed. According to Mrs Spellen, had neighbours not intervened, the 62-year-old mother would have been dead.

In addition to being locked away, the young woman and her mother were raped on numerous occasions.

Now that the case is gaining the attention of the authorities, Mrs Spellen is hopeful that the mother would also be given medical attention.

“Another thing I would like to see happen (is this): During that girl’s illness, her mother sold a house and land that her father left for her before he died. I would like to see her get them back, so when she comes out the hospital she can have her own family and live in comfort,” Mrs Spellen said.

The 62-year-old mother was taken into custody subsequent to her daughter being removed from the house, but she has been released. According to information reaching Guyana Chronicle, investigators are currently compiling a report which is to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DDP) for advice.