Latoya Haywood succumbed to her injuries on Thursday afternoon at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where she was a patient for close to a month after being stabbed on Christmas morning.
The deceased and mother of two, who resided at 57 Leopold and Cross streets suffered a stab wound in the region of her heart from a woman who was involved in a feud with the victim’s cousin.
When this newspaper visited, the cousin was still visibly shaken by the death of Haywood and fought back tears at the memory of what happened on the day in question.
The cousin, Tenisha Favorite, explained that she was the one who was targeted by the suspect on social media since October of last year as she shares a child with the suspect’s partner. From all accounts it was indicated that the suspect was jealous as Favorite would make contact with the child’s father, but according to her (Favorite), she only did so on matters relating to child the two shared.
Favorite shared that it was she and other persons who alerted Haywood that she had been stabbed, since at the time Haywood was under the influence of alcohol and was not aware that she had been wounded. Relatives rushed Haywood to the hospital where she slipped into a coma and never regained consciousness. A CT scan revealed that she was brain dead. The doctors, Favorite said, explained that the lack of oxygenated blood to the brain was the reason the woman remained in a coma. Prior to her death Haywood underwent two surgeries.
Favorite said that she was not informed of her cousin’s death by the hospital and said that she learnt that Haywood died 4:30 Thursday afternoon after turning up for the afternoon’s visiting hours. “I left she good Wednesday plugged up to the machines and when I go back yesterday, she done in a plastic bag. They [nurses] didn’t call me to tell me anything,” the woman lamented.
Favorite said that a report was first made at the police outpost at the GPH on the day of the incident but they were told to make another report at Brickdam Police Station which they did on Boxing Day. Relatives, Favorite said, returned to Brickdam Police Station on two more occasions, the first to inform the police that it was rumoured that the suspect was at her residence in Charlotte Street so that they could make the arrest and again to find out whether any arrest was made.
Favorite said that they were told by the police that when they went to arrest the woman at her residence, she had escaped.
Meanwhile, relatives have since posted about the woman’s passing on Facebook and persons have come forward to offer their condolences. An autopsy on Haywood is expected to be done on Monday. She is survived by two boys, ages six and two years old.
Assistant Commissioner for Region Four, Edgar Thomas, is seeking the assistance of the public in the arrest of the suspect. “This case has now reached another level and we are hoping to arrest the suspect soon. We’re asking that anyone with any information on her whereabouts to contact the nearest police station”, Thomas said.
