A 19-year-old Queenstown, Essequibo Coast resident is nursing injuries to his left foot at the Suddie Public Hospital after he accidentally stepped into what was suspected to be a gun trap.
Speaking with Stabroek News, Errol Richardson said his son Garfield Rodrigues had left his home around 8.30 am on Saturday to go into the backdam.
“We are clearing some land at Queenstown backdam to build some pens for pigs, goats and ducks so that is the reason Garfield went to the backdam,” Richardson related. “He was with another worker at the time when this thing happen.”
Richardson said his son later told him that around 12 pm when the sun was extremely hot, he and the worker decided to work in a cooler area.
“They were weeding but they left that to go and cut some posts nearby in some shade. As they step off the mainline, Garfield said he heard an explosion and he jumped back and then his foot start burning. He tell his friend not to go closer and when he looked down he see blood all over. Then his friend had to walk carefully and hoist him out of the area and take him to the main road,” the man said. He said they later called him on the phone and told him what had happened. “I get my neighbour [Land] Cruiser and we drive and collect them, then we take a car and carry him straight to Suddie Hospital and they admit him.”
The man said he contacted the police at Suddie and was referred to the Anna Regina Police Station.
On Sunday, Richardson, the police and the worker who was with Rodrigues at the time of the incident went to the scene, where they saw blood and foot tracks.
“I believe that somebody went back and removed the gun trap because when we gone we just see the blood and the long boots’ tracks. I am hoping that a proper investigation can be done by the police,” Richardson said.
Police investigations are ongoing while Rodrigues remains as a patient at the Suddie Hospital.
