Geeta Boodhoo who survived a chopping attack that claimed the lives of three people and left her with a severed hand and later endured a vehicular accident, died after a brief sickness earlier this year.
In all three circumstances, Boodhoo underwent surgeries and battled for her life but she never recovered from the last surgery and died in April this year, leaving her five children behind.
Her older sister, Sharda Jabar told Stabroek News that she started having severe abdominal pain and was hospitalized. She spent a few weeks in hospital and “had to take six pints of blood” before they could finally perform surgery.
She said her sister was discharged shortly after the surgery was performed even though “she was in more pain than she had before the surgery.”
Her twin daughters, Rohini and Mohini, now five years old are in the care of her brother in Berbice and her three older children, Varshinie, 14, Jonathan, 12 and Joroad, are living with Jabbar.
She sends the children to school and also to madrassa (Islamic classes) in the afternoon and is ensuring that they absorb their education and also have good moral values.
Jabar said she is trying to provide the best care to the children but she also has her own children to provide for.
She has gotten benefits from the Social Welfare Department in Region Three for the two boys but not for Varshini.
She said if anyone wants to provide any help to the children they could contact her on telephone number 652-3876.
It is already four years since the gruesome attack in which Boodhoo’s jilted partner, Joshua Franklyn, a cane-cutter smashed through a window and started his chopping spree.
The crime took place at Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo around 12. 30 am on December 18, 2014, leaving Boodhoo’s mother Bibi Zalima Khan, 55, of Endeavour, Leguan, her 9-year-old daughter Ashley and her male friend, Floyd Drakes, 30, dead.
Franklyn is currently facing charges in the high court while his eldest son, who was also charged, was released.
Boodhoo sustained severe injuries to her head, neck and shoulder and it was while barring the chops that her hand was severed just above the wrist.
As if her sufferings was not enough, in May 2016 a speeding car struck her from behind as she was walking along the West Bank Demerara public road and pitched her into a nearby trench. She escaped death for the second time.
Bus she sustained injuries to her abdomen and suffered a fractured right knee for which she underwent surgery.
In an interview with Stabroek News, Jabar said sadly that Boodhoo faced a tough life, from being in an abusive relationship with Franklyn and up to the time of her death.
Franklyn was said to be in a habit of physically abusing the woman and she had gotten him locked up a few times. He was also placed before the court and the magistrate had ordered him to stay away from her.
Unable to work due to her severed hand and other injuries, she had resorted to begging. Though it caused her to be ridiculed, she continued to beg so she could have provided for her children.
Today, the children are still haunted by the trauma they witnessed but are trying hard to put it behind them and move on.
