A 16-year-old girl of Bath Housing Scheme, West Berbice was badly chopped about her head and body two Sundays ago and her former partner who attacked her with a cutlass died after ingesting a poisonous substance.
The girl, Hemwattie Mangroo sustained injuries to her head, shoulder, back and hands and was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital while bleeding profusely from her wounds.
She was treated and immediately transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital in an ambulance. However the ambulance encountered difficulties and after stopping at the Mahaicony Diagnostic Centre to switch vehicles the doctors admitted her in the Intensive Care Unit instead because “they say she couldn’t make it to reach Georgetown.”
Hemwattie’s wounds appear to be healing but she is still in severe pain and was unable to use her left hand fully and had to undergo surgery.
She has since been discharged and is currently recuperating at a relative’s house. The girl is also taking treatment at the Fort Wellington Hospital on a daily basis.
Hemwattie told Stabroek News she had just gotten out of the shower around 8:30 pm when she was attacked. She said she felt the first chop on her back and started to scream.
When she turned around she saw her former partner, Arnold Dharamdeo, 22, who lived a few houses away. Despite her screams he continued to chop her and only escaped after hearing her parents’ footsteps as they ran to her rescue.
Her mother, Sharda Mangroo, 32, told Stabroek News that she was with her daughter and left to go upstairs while the girl went into the shower.
Ten minutes later she heard her screaming frantically and she too started to scream as she and her husband ran down to investigate. She said her daughter was still wrapped in her towel which was drenched in blood.
She collapsed in her father’s arms as he tried desperately to “sop up” the blood from her wounds until she got to the hospital. Meanwhile the neighbours too ran over after hearing the screaming and rendered assistance.
Sharda said the attacker who was apparently hiding in the yard, had removed a few louvre panes from a window and reached the lock on the door and opened it. He also cut down two hammocks in the house to make his getaway easy.
It was when they arrived at the Mahaicony Hospital with her daughter that they learnt that Dharmadeo, a labourer had ingested poison and was being treated there. He left shortly after in the ambulance for the GPH and succumbed the following day.
Sharda said “the way I see me daughter in the kitchen that night would always remain with me. I did not expect her to make it but I am thankful to God for sparing her life.”
Hemwattie was attending a private secondary school in the area but became ill and dropped out. She became involved with the young man two years ago but during last year he and his family had moved into her parents’ house while their house was undergoing repairs.
His family returned home after one month but he remained there for two months and after they realized that the girl’s age would have caused a problem he was forced to return home.
Efforts were made to keep the two apart especially after the man’s mother went to the girl’s home and verbally abused her.
Hemwattie’s number on her cellular phone was changed to prevent the man from making contact with her and she was even sent away with relatives to another area.
The man went in search of her and after her relatives saw him and heard that he had been inquiring about her they made a report to the police and he was arrested.
The following day he called the girl’s mother and said he was sorry and begged her for Hemwattie’s number but she refused to give it to him.
The girl had only returned home the night before she was attacked. The man was seen drinking all day and was later “walking up and down the street” before entering the house.
According to Hemwattie he had told her that “if he don’t get me he gon kill heself and carry somebody wid he” but she brushed it off as a joke.