Tavita Natasha Lall continued yesterday to battle for her life at the Georgetown Public Hospital after she was allegedly set alight by her common-law husband on January, 14, at their house in Number 64 Village, Corentyne, and her mother is in desperate need of assistance as she cannot afford to travel every day to the city to look after her daughter
Lall, 42, a cleaner at the Tagore Memorial Secondary School, sustained burn injuries from her nose all the way to her legs. Her condition remains critical and she has already undergone surgeries to remove her breasts.
On Friday, January, 14, around 10 pm, she was at home cooking when her husband Dipnarine Seelall also known as “Narei”, 50, returned home from imbibing.
After the two were involved in a heated argument, Seelall allegedly set the woman on fire with a jar of kerosene after which he locked the door and left her to burn inside.
Her mother, Bamela Lall, 60, yesterday explained, that she was awoken with news that her daughter had been attacked by the man. She said, she looked back to where the couple’s house was and all she saw was Natasha’s daughter screaming for help and then collapsing. “Me run go over and he lock she inside and sit on the veranda and them neighbour, neighbour had to come out and kick down the door and out the fire and then we carry she hospital.”
Natasha was rushed to the Skeldon Hospital where she was immediately transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital and then Georgetown Public Hospital on the said evening.
Seelall has since been charged with attempted murder and is on remand, Stabroek News was told.
Lall yesterday said, that the man has called her twice following the incident to find out whether Natasha was discharged from the hospital and “when she go come tek me out from here.”
Alcohol
According to relatives, Seelall turns into a different person whenever he imbibes and would often abuse Natasha while in a drunken state.
Her mother noted, that Natasha, a mother of four, and Seelall started a relationship about two years ago, and moved in together a couple of houses away from her in Number 64 Village, Corentyne.
The devastated woman explained yesterday, that the man would normally abuse Natasha and accuse her of cheating whenever he imbibed and even left her hospitalized in one instance several months ago.
According to her, despite her pleas, Natasha always returned to live with the man but two Fridays ago she decided that she would “stand up to him” and end the relationship – that was the day she would land in the hospital due to the man’s rage.
According to Lall, her daughter told her earlier on the day of the incident that throughout their relationship whatever Seelall accused her of she always had to accept and remain quiet but on that day she would stand up to him and clear her name as his claims were all untruths.
Assistance needed
Meanwhile, the family is seeking assistance as they are finding it extremely difficult.
The family can be contacted on telephone number 644 – 2035.
Lall yesterday stated, that presently she is only able to travel to Georgetown whenever someone gives her money as she herself is sickly and not working. “It get one car boy, he a carry me the few time me go. When me get money me a go, when she get them surgery me try go and even if me na get money the boy does try help me out,”
However, the woman says that it pains her heart to remain home knowing her daughter is in the hospital, “Me does study who go feed her and if she wake up back and nobody na deh deh for her” the emotional mother noted yesterday.
However, she praised the doctors at the city hospital as she said that they have been extremely kind and helpful. “Them treat we nice, them look she after and the doctor tell me the day let me go home and rest that she go make sure them feed Natasha but still me so worried. Me never expect me pickney to lie down deh so.”
According to Lall, Natasha was a huge support in her life as she assisted with taking care of her 90-year-old aunt who resides with her (Lall). “When she done she work, because of me heart me na able stand up long, Natasha go come and bathe her and look her after and cook roti and do everything in me house and look now how me got to look she.”
Furthermore, she pointed out, that Natasha lived extremely close with her children. “Her daughter-in-law pregnant and if you see how she excited for the baby and look wah happen now. When them a sleep here them a fight fa hug up them mother because when them deh home if them hug she that one problem for him.”
According to the woman, the accused would often start fights with Natasha as it relates to her children since he did not want her to show much affection or care towards them.
Natasha’s young daughter is now residing with her grandmother.
