Eileen August, the 78-year-old woman who suffered a broken leg and hip after being hit down by a taxi driver, died yesterday in the female surgical ward of the Georgetown Public hospital (GPH).
When Stabroek News visited the GPH yesterday, relatives who had turned up for the usual afternoon visit were in shock when they realised that the woman’s bed was cleared. Upon investigating they were told by nurses on duty that the woman had died. Requesting anonymity, the woman’s daughter-in-law, with whom this newspaper had been speaking ever since her admission to the GPH, described her mother-in-law’s passing as “sudden and unexpected.” Relatives had an expression of disbelief on their faces after learning of the woman’s demise.
“I can’t believe me auntie dead,” one relative kept saying repeatedly as she cried. The relative explained that August was “doing fine” when they visited her around noon yesterday. She said also that the dead woman’s Canada-based son was expected in the country on Saturday.
“He de coming fuh see he mother alive not dead,” the woman said. “Look at how these wild drivers does cause people fuh loose deh life stupid, stupid. Duh driver mek me aunty end up loosing she life,” the woman said tearfully. “Wah kill she? How dis happen? Every thing de aright with she when we come earlier. She aint cry out fuh no pain or nothing. Is just suh, I can’t believe it, I just can’t believe it,” the woman lamented.
They were sobs and sighs of frustration as the daughter-in-law and other relatives cleared the bed and rid the cupboards of Eileen’s belongings. They then told Stabroek News that they were going to journey over to the morgue to have a glimpse of the woman’s remains.
Eileen is believed to have passed away sometime between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm and it remains unknown what caused her death.
Meanwhile, the driver of the car, Ray Stephens, 32, of 764 Para fait Harmonie West Bank Demerara (WBD) who was initially at large after the accident, has since been charged and placed before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Stephens was remanded to prison after being slapped with the charges of dangerous driving, failing to render assistance and failing to report an accident after appearing before Magistrate Priya Beharry.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him by the Magistrate. He is now likely to face possible for manslaughter or causing death by dangerous driving.
According to initial reports reaching Stabroek News, the woman was taken to her home by Stephens after reportedly hitting her down with his car, causing her to sustain a broken leg and hip.
She was admitted a patient to the GPH after spending in excess of ten days in her house fighting excruciating pain and longing to be rescued.
Hospital sources said August had been involved in the accident on July 27, when a car driven by Stephens slammed into her as she was standing at the corners of Norton Street and Cemetery Road. Stephens is reported to have been in a rush to get to a funeral service which was being held at the Sandy’s Funeral Home.
According to reports, since the driver was late, he did not take Eileen to the hospital but kept her in the car instead, while he went to the funeral service.
The source said also that the said driver took the woman’s money she had to purchase vegetables at the time of the incident and he bought them instead.
He then enquired from her where and with whom she lives. Once told the address and that she lives alone, the man then dropped her off at her home and give her the vegetables she was on her way to purchase.
On previous visits, August had told Stabroek News that she had given the driver responsible for her injuries a telephone number to contact her son who resides in Canada in order that he, [the son], may be aware of what had happened to her.
It is reported however that the driver did call the Canadian-based son but only told him part of the story, that being that his mother was involved in an accident. The driver then hung up the phone and never called again.
