WHILE the parents, relatives and friends await the autopsy result of 22-year-old Yogeeta Persaud of Guyana, the Peruvian authorities are also in a state of shock about the sudden demise of the young lady and have since launched a probe.

According to a release from Peru police, an investigation has been launched into the death of the foreign student. Prosecutor on duty Rafael Vasquez Cuba, who is in charge of the investigation, said that the autopsy is pending. They have disclosed that the Guyanese citizen died suddenly while on a medical outreach at Anta Province of Cusco, Peruvian police confirmed.

Doctors at the Anta-based health centre reported the death of Yogeeta Persaud, 21, at around 1:15 pm on Sunday, after she was evacuated on an emergency basis. The woman was a medical student and member of “Volunteer Doctors around the World.” Early each morning, Persaud volunteered at a medical camp. According to police, she collapsed suddenly at just after 12:50 pm on Sunday and showed vital signs when emergency services arrived. Unfortunately, she died on the way to the health centre.

Meanwhile, relatives of Persaud continue to grieve for her. “My daughter was a determined child, she was never rude to anyone and she was very humble, she chased after her dreams,” said Devika Persaud, the mother of Yogeeta Persaud.

The family received the tragic news around 16:00 hrs. on Sunday from a colleague of Yogeeta. She was the only daughter of her parents whom she last saw in May this year, when she graduated from Stony Brook University. During a visit to the family’s home at Zorg Village on the Essequibo Coast, on Monday, many persons were on hand to offer words of comfort to the parents of the 22 year old.

Her mother related that she last heard from her daughter around midday on Sunday. She said they did not speak for a while but they would routinely message each other daily via the social media platform WhatsApp. Her last message was around midday on Sunday when she informed her mother that she was at a clinic. “What we understand is that she collapsed while at work, we don’t know much, however we [are] waiting on the autopsy,” her mother said.

She said that Yogeeta was on a Government of Guyana (GoG) scholarship when she met her demise. She graduated in May 2018 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry from Stony Brook University. Yogeeta began following her dreams and during the summer break she joined the Stony Brook University team as a volunteer on medical outreaches.

Her mother recalled too that in 2016 she went to the Dominican Republic as a volunteer on a medical outreach. Yogeeta accompanied the team on the two-week medical outreach to Peru as a volunteer and was expected to return to the United States on August 16.

Her mother said the young woman was determined to become a doctor and to assist persons. “She died while doing what she loves, maybe that’s the way she had to go back to the Almighty, it’s hard, she was never a rude person, I always advised her that if she was angry just walk way, she was a very obedient child of mine,” the woman noted.
She said that her daughter always made the family proud.

In 2013, Yogeeta was named the second top performer for Guyana at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and the Anna Regina Multilateral student was adjudged the Most Outstanding Overall CSEC candidate that year by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC), after achieving Grade One passes in 18 CSEC subjects. Persaud was also a top performer while at Stony Brook. Her father, Takoor Persaud, told the Guyana Chronicle that he could not believe the news when he heard of her sudden passing. He said that he is still trying to cope with the harsh reality.

Former classmates and teachers also expressed shock at her demise. One teacher, Reshma Rai, posted “Yogeeta was 1 of my favourite Grade Two students we share so much fun times like feeding you lunch and cuddling u when were sad . My tears cannot stop flowing for u my student. She has grown into such a beautiful and intelligent young woman.

My sincere condolences to her parents, extended families and friends. RIP Yogeeta Persaud.”

Apart from her studies, the young woman was a member of the Golden Fleece Vishwa Jhotir mandir. She would visit whenever she was in Guyana and would seize the opportunity to perform ‘Pooja’ at the altar. Her parents are awaiting the results of an autopsy and arrangements will be put in place to bring her remains back to Guyana for burial.