A Sophia woman, who was doused with acid by her former partner almost two weeks ago, is calling on police to apprehend him as he has made threats to end her life, following her decision to leave the relationship after years of abuse.
Lavern Newton, 44, a mother of five and a pastry vendor, suffered burns to the back of her legs and thighs after being attacked on October 8th while she was approaching her home.
“I see this person coming out from the neighbour yard dressed in all over black, so I ain’t tek it for anything… I turn in my gate and I watching this person trying to recognise who it is, and realised it is him,” Newton said, recounting the attack.
She explained that upon recognising the man, she dropped the stroller she had converted into a makeshift cart and ran. “But he threw it and it catch me at the back and he ran behind me… I call out to people and my 16-year-old come out and holler on him and he ran away,” she added.
According to Newton, she had made the decision to walk away from the relationship in July.
The woman said that after the man had made unwanted advances then, she had pushed him away and in a rage she burnt him with hot water that was on the stove. “I sit and cry and said this have to be the end of it and I take the pot of water and threw it on him and run out the house…I reported it at the station and I tell them I bun him because I can’t take it no more… the police are not doing anything… they locked me up but they haven’t arrested him,” she explained.
Newton recounted that three days later, the man called and asked her to take him to the hospital, while telling her he did not want anything to do with the police. “I did it. I went with him to the hospital and see they clean he and so but I never went back,” she added.
Newton further explained that two weeks after she had burnt the man, he tried to beat her but she managed to escape.
However, on the night before the acid attack, she said he showed up in front of her home and “with this bottle kneeling down swearing he would burn me and kill me.”
Newton said she called the police and they promised to send ranks but none showed up.
Newton said she began living with her abuser in the early 1990s and she was constantly abused. She said they parted for ten years. However, she said he begged for a second chance but nothing changed and on many occasions she tried to leave the relationship.
“Ten years we separated for. After that ten years… he gone back but he continued to cuss up and go on with his nastiness… he did too much to me, beat me… cut me up… and I said it was too much now my children big and I am working… I decide it is time to move on… but I need help and I need the police to help me with this to keep him away from me…,” the shaken woman said.
She added that since their separation, the man would call occasionally and make threats.
Newton believes that the police are not doing enough to apprehend him even though she complained to the Commander of ‘C’ Division Calvin Brutus. Stabroek News was unable to contact Brutus since he is on leave. However, acting ‘C’ Division Commander Stephen Mansell said that the police are in pursuit of the suspect. He noted that he only took charge of the division a day ago and is currently being briefed on the case.
