Three months after six-year-old Jeremiah Gustave was shot in his head at Charles Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, his condition continues to worsen as he remains hospitalised.
Jeremiah Gustave was shot at around 19:45 hrs on July 9th.
Jeremiah’s mother, Keisha Gustave told Stabroek News yesterday that he began bleeding internally a few days ago. She said the doctors are conducting several tests to ascertain the cause of the new development. According to Keisha, prior to this development, there had been tentative talk about discharging her son from the hospital. She said that he requires a “machine” to survive, which costs $150,000 and this has to first be mobilised.
The machine is used to suction waste fluids including mucus and saliva from Jeremiah’s stomach. The mother expressed frustration as she explained that she is without a job, since she spends most of her time at the hospital.
“They take me out of a job. This is very hard. I have to get the machine for him to get discharge. He has to do therapy because he doesn’t know me. My son was bleeding internally and it’s like his condition is stable and critical. He can’t even go to school,” she lamented. Jeremiah should have started Grade Two in September.
Although the six-year-old was transferred from the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital to the Paediatric Ward, his condition remains critical and he occasionally requires a ventilator.
“He can’t do anything for he self. He is using pampers and feeding from a tube. I must give God praise and thanks that he is still alive but his condition is still critical. I got to be strong for him,” she said.
Speaking of the men charged with shooting her son, she said, “The next court day is tomorrow [today] and they want bail but they don’t deserve bail. My son was healthy before all this.”
Marlon Christopher Wilburg called `Miceman’, 29, and Odelle Garnette called ‘Crab’ were charged separately with the attempted murder of the child.
Wilburg appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on July 29 and Garnette appeared before the same magistrate on August 2.
It was alleged that on July 9, the minor was sitting on a chair in front of his mother’s food stall. Wilburg and Garnette allegedly had a misunderstanding that escalated into the trading of bullets which resulted in Gustave sustaining a gunshot wound to the head. The six-year-old was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital and admitted in a critical condition.
On July 27, based on intelligence, the firearm used in the commission of the crime was recovered by the police in the possession of another individual who attempted to dispose of it when confronted by ranks. The weapon was taken to the GPF’s ballistics department along with three bullet casings recovered at the scene.
