The 28-year-old mother who along with her three children were rushed to the hospital during last week after displaying symptoms of poisoning, were all discharged yesterday, and a mental evaluation has revealed that the woman is mentally ill.
Stabroek News understands that when she was admitted to the George-town Public Hospital (GPHC), the food vendor was subject to a psychiatric evaluation which revealed that she is mentally ill, and incapable of standing trial.
As such, the police are presently unable to level charges against her. The children have been placed in the care of their father.
Just after midday last Friday, the three children, ranging from ages 3-8, were rushed to the GPH from their Bare Root, East Coast Demerara home, while vomiting profusely. After medical officials diagnosed that they were suffering from poisoning, they were joined by their mother, who was discovered frothing from the mouth at the hospital. The father of the children was not present at the time, and was said to be working in the interior.
While it is unclear as to what exactly occurred, residents in the area had related hearing loud sounds coming from the house during the wee hours of Friday morning.
By daylight Friday, it was evident that the woman had destroyed several household items, which were seen broken outside the house. A broken television set and a kerosene stove were among the items strewn on the ground.
A resident, who did not wish to be named, said that she had returned home from work on Friday and learnt of what had transpired.
“About 1, 2 o’clock this morning, I hear she did bruking up in there, but I didn’t hear any screams or so,” the woman said.
She said she had noticed a change in the woman’s behaviour recently. On Thursday, she said, the woman, who usually sells food until late in the afternoon every day, had packed up and gone back into the house before the lunch hour.
The woman had previously attempted to end her life.
The Child Care and Protection Agency has intervened in the matter.
