Sunita Persaud, the woman who was seriously injured after she was pinned by a tree that fell onto the shed she was under in the Success squatting area one week ago, remains hospitalised in an unconscious state.
Persaud, 45, whose address police gave as Lot 28 Crown Dam, Industry, East Coast Demerara, suffered a fractured skull, injuries to her spine, ribs and a broken leg in the freak accident. She also remains unconscious.
Sonia Naseer, a sister of the woman, told Stabroek News that Persaud’s injuries had caused internal bleeding in her head and stomach, which doctors said made her too unstable to undergo needed surgery.
Naseer was present when the accident occurred and she, too, suffered minor injuries.
Another sister as well as Persaud’s daughter Nafeeza, were also injured.
When asked the reason why they were present at Success, the woman stated that she was there to check on a plot of land her son had been occupying, while Sunita was also occupying land in the area as well.
She later disclosed that Sunita, who is a mother of three, was severely affected by the pandemic, which has resulted in the loss of her job.
Naseer called on government officials to reassess the situation at the Success squatting area and come up with a permanent solution that would see land issued to the squatters.
She noted that relocation is not an issue as long as they are provided with land. She added that they have since relocated and are now staying with relatives until things are sorted out.
Sunita has been described as a kind hearted and hardworking woman, who is very supportive of her family. Her relatives are hoping for a miracle for the woman.
The women were preparing to begin cooking when a large tree fell on the shed they were under, pinning Sunita as a result.
A police report said the accident occurred around 2.10 pm in the cane fields of the Success backlands, where several persons were sitting in a makeshift structure on a dam. It said the tree fell on top of the structure, injuring eight women who were in proximity. They were subsequently assisted by law enforcement officers and transported to the GPH.
The report also noted that a total of eight women suffered both serious and minor injuries to various parts of their bodies, including to their heads and limbs.
