GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, has described as “ sad and heartbreaking” the death of a seven-year-old child who her mother allegedly killed as a result of a domestic dispute.
Police said that Isabella Dabadial, a student at Cooper Primary School, was killed on Sunday by her mother, following her 30-year-old husband’s failure to return home. She also admitted to having attempted to kill her one-year-old son.
The police said that the 26 -year-old mother, who also attempted to kill herself, is hospitalized.
“The Child Protection Agency in Berbice has reached out and is offering support to the child and family at this time,” said Dr. Persaud, adding that apparently the mother did not reach out for assistance.”
“So sad and heartbreaking – a little child has lost her life most horrifically at the hands of her mother. This is hard for anyone to comprehend. Her brother thankfully made it, and her mother is in the hospital. An investigation is ongoing by the Guyana Police Force, and there will be more clarity as to why this happened,” she added.
The police said that the mother told them she had been experiencing emotional distress after her husband had left the residence several days prior and had refused to return. The woman said that upon waking on Sunday, having had no food, she suffocated Isabella.
The police said that the boy has since been released from the hospital, while the mother remains hospitalized for further medical treatment after slashing herself with a knife.
She had been discovered lying on a mattress, bleeding from injuries to the back of both ankles, the police added.
The 59-year-old mother of the woman said she rushed to her daughter’s home after receiving a call from her niece about a Facebook post by her daughter that read, “This is our last pic.”
Dr. Persaud said mental health is fragile for many people, and many times, people do not reach out to the health system for help for many reasons.
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