The family of Shaunell Warrick, the teacher who was brutally beaten on New Year’s Day, clings to the hope that she will recover even though she was moved to the Intensive Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital and placed on a respirator.
“We trying to pray as much as we can and keep [our hopes up] we don’t want to dwell on the negative,” said one of the woman’s nieces Allison Allicock at the 3471 Stevedore Housing Scheme where Warrick lives with her mother, two sons and other relatives.
Another niece, Simone Roberts said the family is trying to raise money for a specialist to evaluate Warrick. Warrick had to be placed on a respiratory device when her breathing became heavy, family members said.
On New Year’s Day, Warrick was severely beaten by Rudolph London, her on and off companion of over 15 years. She sustained head injuries as a result of a beating with a cutlass, relatives said.
Warrick, a mother of two and a teacher at the East Street Nursery School, was attacked at the man’s home, at Crane, West Coast Demerara. The woman has a fractured skull and doctors have told her family that she has a “50/50” chance of survival.
At her home yesterday, her mother Angela Warrick was surrounded by family and well wishers who had gathered to pray for the safe recovery of her daughter.
Described as a forgiving person by her relatives, Warrick was inspired to become a teacher by her elder sister Doreen Roberts who is now the acting district education officer in Region One. A teacher for over 18 years, Warrick relatives said went to “teacher’s college” two years ago.
Warrick was described by her boys – a 17-year-old and an 11-year-old — as “a very good mother”. Relatives said her sons are still in shock. The 11-year-old, they said, said he felt responsible for his mother’s state since he changed his mind about going to church.
He said yesterday, “I’m happy that my father in jail cause what he did was wrong,” but misses having his mother around to help him with his homework.
On Old Year’s Night Warrick and her mother were supposed to go to midnight mass. But when her son changed his mind Warrick did too because the taxi took a long time in picking them up. The woman later went to London’s home where she was later attacked. According to Allicock Warrick and London had gotten back together last year.
Roberts said she is worried for Warrick’s son who is due to write exams in April, “How he gun focus?”
“I praying for he that he keep it up,” said Angela, who added that she has enrolled him in extra lessons to keep him occupied. The older son said he hoped his mother would “pull through”.
