Days after she was brutally chopped by her partner following an argument at Swan Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, Melicia Andrews’ condition has improved significantly.
Her mother, Janet Domingo yesterday explained to Stabroek News that Andrews, who has undergone two successful surgeries, regained consciousness yesterday morning and is communicating with relatives. “Today (yesterday), she (Andrews) open she eyes and she know we and she talk and so with we. She is responding now,” Domingo said.
“She (Andrews) catch she self. From since when she come in (Monday) to today (yesterday) she now start talk to people. Today she recognise people and speak and so”, she added.
Andrews remains warded at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital on a life-support machine. She is currently being fed through a tube.
Domingo related that Andrews has asked her to remove all her belongings from her house and take care of her children until she is discharged from the hospital. “She told me that she want I move all she things from she house and look after she children until she come home,” the woman said.
She added that following yesterday’s interaction with Andrews, she is more hopeful that she will survive the ordeal. “All we got to do is keep on praying and keep we finger cross,” Domingo added.
The attack on Andrews, 31, by her partner, Ian English, resulted in three of her fingers being severed. She sustained chops to her neck, hands, feet, and head.
English, 38, a labourer with whom Andrews reportedly shared an abusive relationship for several years, hanged himself after the attack, which occurred after he repeatedly accused her of infidelity.
He was discovered hanging from a tree a short distance away from where he carried out the attack. The cutlass he used to chop Andrews was recovered next to his body.
Residents of the area had related that English lived with his wife in Kuru Kuru but would stay at Andrews’ home from time to time. He was the father of one of Andrews’ seven children.
The police said their preliminary investigations revealed that the attack unfolded at the Lot 22 Swan Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway home of Domingo, who had earlier been counselling English.
English left and returned with a cutlass and inflicted several chops about Andrews’ body.
Police added that English subsequently cut a piece of rope and ventured into the nearby bushes, where he was discovered hanging.
Domingo had told this newspaper that she only learnt that the couple was experiencing domestic problems on Monday afternoon, hours before the attack.
She said she tried to talk to them but despite this English launched the attack and even threatened to chop her if she intervened.
