Frustrated that her case is still to reach the courts more than six months after she was raped, and traumatized by the continued threats of her attacker, an 18-year-old girl drank poison in an attempt to end her life, but doctors were fighting to save her last night.

The young woman ingested a rat poison commonly known as the ‘blue rice’ and was initially rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where doctors determined that her condition was too serious and had her transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital by ambulance.

“Me daughter change since this man attack she and he keep threatening she… onto now we ain’t get justice,” the mother related last night at the hospital.

Up to press time last night doctors at the hospital had informed the mother that the young woman’s condition had improved somewhat, but that she would be admitted for continued observation.

The mother, visibly distressed, told Stabroek News that her daughter was sexually assaulted by an ex-policeman in October last year.

The girl, who was 17 years old at the time, remained quiet but fell ill shortly after. According to the mother, the assault was violent and had resulted in her daughter losing a lot of blood.

“He took her innocence, happiness, she life,” the mother said trying to hold back tears. She said that the family has suffered a lot since the incident, and to add further trauma the man has threatened her daughter several times.

The mother related that an initial report was made to the police, but that the file was sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice more than six months ago. The family is still awaiting word and continues to follow up with the police.

Recounting what happened to her daughter yesterday the woman said that things probably “got too much” for her. She said the girl became angry over the past few months and after sitting exams, withdrawn, and yesterday she volunteered to get the powder for controlling ants that the family would occasionally purchase.

“She ask the father to buy the stuff but she also call for the blue rice but we didn’t know and later she went and drink it,” the mother said.

A relative found the girl with the rat poison and alerted the mother. They immediately rushed her to the hospital.

The mother said that the family is being treated poorly by the authorities because the man who assaulted her daughter has “connections.” She recalled that the girl had to seek counselling and that the matter was even brought to the attention of a government minister.

She said that the counselling helped the girl write her examinations, but shortly after that she had a relapse. The mother said the family is worried that the girl might attempt to take her life a second time if nothing is done with respect to her case.

While at the hospital a police official advised the mother to approach the Office of Professional Responsibility because “the matter is too serious.” The woman said that she would go on and see what happens.