Nikacia Allen was a victim of a neglectful system, according to her adoptive father Eric Williams.
The 17-year-old died on October 18, 27 days after giving birth to her third child via Caesarean Section (C-section) at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).
On Friday, her family had the various lacerations on her body documented by their lawyer while tomorrow is the day scheduled for the post-mortem examination ordered by the state.
Williams told Stabroek News on Thursday that while his family tried their best to support Nikacia and raise her “right” it was difficult as both he and her mother were often working away from home.
“At the time of Nikacia’s first pregnancy I was working about 50 miles away from the community where we lived and my wife was working with the manganese company,” Williams said. “Nikacia was going to Port Kaituma Community High and living with a guardian.”
He said that when the school learned she was pregnant they contacted her family and the police.
“The matter went into the hands of the police and after they investigate they hand it over to the welfare,” he said, adding that his concern for her saw him ask to be relocated to the coast so that he could attend counselling sessions conducted by the welfare office.
“I spent two weeks with welfare going through counselling with Nikacia but after that I had to go back to work and I ask her mother’s sister-in-law to attend the other two weeks with her.”
He related that after that one month of counselling his daughter returned to Port Kaituma where she was denied reentry into school.
“The HM who had signed a document saying that Nikacia could return to school after she gave birth, refused to accept her back into school,” he said.
Williams further explained that because of his daughter’s age and lack of skills she was unable to work.
“It’s a mining community they don’t really have recreational activities and there wasn’t a private school she could go to,” he said.
Asked about his daughter’s second pregnancy, he said that he had been away from home for a year when he learned that Nikacia was pregnant again.
In an attempt to better supervise her and their other children, the family relocated to Lusignan, East Coast Demerara where they currently reside. But while the younger children were enrolled and went to school Nikacia stayed home where she performed babysitting and other household chores.
Asked about this on Friday, her mother Patricia Allen said they were not able to afford to send Nikacia to school, so instead, while she and her husband worked sporadically in the interior, the 15-year-old took care of the home.
Asked how her daughter ended up working in the interior, Allen said Nikacia had told her she was going to the North West District to visit relatives there for one week. At the end of that time she did not return and Allen later learned that her daughter was working in and around Barama selling clothing and other things.
“I didn’t see her for seven months and when she come back she was nine months pregnant,” Allen said, adding that her family doesn’t know who the father of Nikacia’s third child is.
Allen who is the seventh recorded maternal death of this year, was a uniquely high risk case. Not only was she underage but she was delivered by C-section, of her third child. According to medical sources, the dangers associated with a C-section rise exponentially with the number a mother undergoes. While several mothers have survived having three such surgeries, it is not recommended.
Minister of Health Dr George Norton speaking on the matter on Thursday said that there is need for proper sex education especially in school. He noted also that there is a need for better prenatal education. “Women need to be educated on the risks associated with C-sections,” he said.
The minister also called for the legislation which addresses the protection of children to be enforced.
“We need not just to put legislation in place but we have to make an effort to take those who have broken the laws before the court. There is much more to protection than just saying it,” the minister said.
