Wesley Hopkinson, the eight-year-old pupil of Two Miles Primary School who was involved in a car accident on the Bartica-Potaro Road has died one month after he was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC].
Stabroek News had previously reported, based on a police press release, that the accident occurred on January 5th at about 15:20 hours on the One and a Quarter Miles Potaro Road, Bartica. Motor bus PAD 1533 was proceeding east along the northern side of Potaro Road, when the driver stopped to permit schoolchildren to disembark and in the process, Wesley, without the assistance of the bus warden also exited the bus and immediately ran across the road ending up in the path of motor car PYY 9664 driven by Allana Chappell, a 35-year-old of Bamford Point, Bartica, who was proceeding west in the direction of the bus.
The impact caused Wesley to fall on the road and he suffered injuries about his body. He was picked up in a conscious state by the bus driver and placed into a passing motor car and taken to the Bartica Regional Hospital. He was examined by a doctor and admitted as a patient in the Paediatric Ward suffering from head injuries. He was later medevaced to Georgetown and admitted in the Children’s Ward, GPHC. A breathalyzer test was conducted on Chappell with the results being 0.0 % BAC. She was placed in police custody to assist with further investigations.
Cinella Hopkinson, mother of Wesley, told Stabroek New that after her son was admitted into the GPHC he slipped into an unconscious state for one week and was experiencing difficulty breathing. When Wesley regained consciousness, he began to experience seizures and was placed on a ventilator. Cinella added that her son’s birthday was January 23rd but he was then a patient at GPHC. Wesley was discharged on February 2nd but was readmitted later that day after his breathing difficulties resurfaced. He underwent immediate surgery and was transferred to the Children’s Ward on Saturday, February 11. At approximately 10 am that morning, Wesley died. Cinella is calling for justice for her son as she remains unaware about the status and any outcomes of the accident probe.
