By Svetlana Marshall

TWO weeks after being rescued from a faeces-laden room and taken to safety, a victim of captivity, cruelty and rape is now at risk of reliving her horror story if a holistic approach to her rescue is not taken by the authorities.

On February 4, 2016, residents of Richmond Village, Essequibo Coast sang praises to the authorities after their 31-year-old neighbour had been rescued. She had, for months, been padlocked in a room filled with human faeces, urine, worms and garbage; and would, from time to time, be fed through a hole like an animal, by her mother and brother.

The woman was discharged from the Suddie Public Hospital on Friday, after undergoing treatment. On Saturday, nurses at that hospital told the Guyana Chronicle that the Richmond Village resident, who is considered to be mentally ill, was discharged by the “medical team” after recovering fully.
Though discharged, she is still in the Female Ward.

“She is not aggressive as she used to be,” one of the nurses in the Female Ward said. Another one added, “She is up and about, walking, talking and eating as per norm. She is not allowed to stay here, but she still here,” the nurse said.

The big question now is: where will she go? Public Health Minister Dr. George Norton, when contacted by this newspaper, said the hospital has played its part by offering treatment to the victim. Once released, he said, it is likely that the young lady will be monitored by a physiatrist on a monthly basis.

He said it is the responsibility of the Social Protection Ministry to provide a safe place for the victim.

Guyana Chronicle was unable to contact the Social Protection Minister, Volda Lawrence; and calls to regional authorities went unanswered. However, the woman’s 62-year-old mother, who had locked her away, said she is fearful for her life with the discharge of her daughter.

When the story was brought to light, the mother of three had told reporters that her daughter had become violent after becoming mentally ill approximately seven years ago.
She said her daughter’s illness was further compounded approximately one year ago when they both became victims of rape. According to her, they were constantly raped by a man who was no stranger to the police. She reportedly sought help from several medical institutions and the regional welfare authority, but to no avail. Due to her failure to secure help, the woman said, she had done what she thought best – lock her daughter away.

Today, she is at “ground zero” with her daughter being released from the public hospital. The mother is now fearful that, with the return of her daughter into mainstream society, she will have to relive the violence she and her son had endured while her daughter was sick.

“If this girl come back home is back to square one. She will beat me up, beat me son up; and fuh save me life, fuh save she life, I might got to lock she up again if she come home; but me nah want duh,” the mother told Guyana Chronicle on Saturday.

She pointed out that, just three days ago, her daughter had dealt her “two slaps” while at the hospital. “She was telling me that she want go home, suh I tell she she got to wait fuh docta, and she get vex and clap two box in me.”

The 62-year-old woman is calling on the relevant authorities to put her daughter in a home.

“What I am saying is: put she in a home where she can get her treatment and where she can be stable. I need help, and de docta at de hospital seh de hospital is not a home; dem gun just keep she fuh de weekend, but Monday she got to leave,” the woman said.

A neighbour, Collins, who is a close friend of the family, told this newspaper that he is also concerned for the life of the mother should the daughter return home.

“Everybody know how that girl use to beat she mother. One time she was trying to push she mother head down a septic tank,” Collins told Guyana Chronicle.

He noted that residents had to run to the rescue of the elderly woman, and recalled that during the early stages of the young woman’s illness, she was allowed to roam in the yard, where the gate was always heavily padlocked; but she started walking naked. According to him, the situation escalated in mid-2015, when the 31-year-old became increasingly violent towards her mother and brother.

The neighbour is fearful that, if the young lady is allowed to return to her home, her mother would be forced to lock her away again.

Ranks at the Anna Regina Police Station are continuing their investigation into acts committed against this 31-old-woman. Reports suggest that the police are compiling a report to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice.