Child care agency takes up case of rat-bitten girl

The Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) is investigating the circumstances under which two-year-old Rebecca Seecharan was bitten about her body by rats at her family’s, Mahaica home this  week.

Stabroek News reported on Tuesday that the toddler was at her  home at Lot 12, Belmont, Mahaica on Monday when she was bitten on her ears and tongue by rats.

Director of the CCPA, Anne Greene told this newspaper yesterday that officers from the unit are investigating the matter. While she could not go into details on the issue, Greene stated that medical personnel earlier this week performed surgical procedures on Seecharan who was seriously injured following the incident.

Stabroek News understands that the child’s condition is listed as stable and a source at the hospital noted yesterday that medical personnel have stated that the child may have been neglected by her parents.

She said that the doctors are examining the child for meningitis and other illnesses. She added that the child’s parent indicated that where the family lived is infested with rats and roaches.

Around mid-afternoon on Tuesday, Seecharan was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) by her parents and she was immediately operated on by doctors. She was subsequently admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the GPH in a semi-conscious state.

Persons at the hospital were critical of the child’s parents as some noted that they could have displayed more concern in caring for the child.