A post-mortem examination on the remains of 13-year-old Mariza Kissoon, who succumbed last Thursday at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) after collapsing at her school, could not determine the cause of death.
This was confirmed by Commander of ‘C’ Division Leslie James, who said that samples have been taken for the purpose of additional testing to be carried out.
Kissoon, of 1518 Westminster, Parfait Harmonie died on Thursday afternoon at the WDRH where she was taken by her head teacher and sister after she suddenly collapsed in her classroom at the New Era Academy, a private school in Parfait Harmonie.
New Era Head teacher Amelia Sammy said on Saturday that the teen who had been enrolled in the school just about 10 days prior to her death, had said she was unwell that morning.
“…She complained about feeling dizzy and having a headache… We decided that we should call her parents and send her home; I subsequently called and got on to the sister who said she would be here shortly,” Sammy said.
After lunch, she said, the students of the secondary department of the school, including Kissoon, were engaged in a class when Kissoon rested her head on the desk and began crying. When enquiries were made, Kissoon reportedly said again that she wasn’t feeling well.
Not long after this, Sammy said, she heard a student shouting out for her as Kissoon fell from her chair. “We rushed to see what happened and I called back the sister who arrived 10 minutes after,” Sammy said, adding that during that time, Kissoon was in and out of consciousness.
Kissoon’s sister accompanied her to the hospital along Sammy and another student.
While at the hospital, the 13-year-old’s condition worsened and the teacher and her sister were subsequently informed of her passing.
Meanwhile, Kissoon’s mother Petula Lowe told Stabroek News that she was puzzled as to what caused her daughter’s death since Kissoon had no prior serious health issues.
“My daughter was a healthy child… I didn’t even get to see her before she died. By time I got there, she had already passed,” Lowe said.
