Chopped Swan woman continues to battle for life

Melicia Andrews
Melicia Andrews

Melicia Andrews, the Swan Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway woman who was severely chopped by her partner on Tuesday afternoon following an argument continues to battle for her life at a city hospital.

Her sister, Carmalita Adams yesterday informed Stabroek News that Andrews is currently warded in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital where she is attached to a  life-support machine.

She explained that Andrews has since undergone emergency surgeries and another is scheduled to be done this morning.

The incident has resulted in three of Andrews’ fingers being severed. She sustained chops  to her neck, hands, feet, and head.

Adams also added that her sister was also given blood since she has lost a lot.

Andrews, 31, was chopped about her body during the incident which occurred around 3.30 pm Monday by her partner, Ian English who accused her of infidelity.

English, 38, a labourer with whom she reportedly shared an abusive relationship for several years, hanged himself after the attack.

He was discovered hanging from a tree a short distance away from where he carried out the attack. The cutlass he used to chop Andrews was recovered next to his body.

Residents in the area had related that English lived with his wife in Kuru Kuru but would stay at Andrews’ home from time to time. He was the father of one of Andrews’ seven children.

The police had said their preliminary investigations revealed that the attack unfolded at the Lot 22 Swan Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, the home of Andrews’ mother, Janet Domingo, who had earlier been counselling English.

English left and returned with a cutlass and inflicted several chops about Andrews’ body.

Police added that English subsequently cut a piece of rope and ventured into the nearby bushes where he was discovered hanging.

Domingo had told this newspaper that she only learnt that the couple was experiencing domestic problems on Monday afternoon, hours before the incident.

She said she tried to talk to them but despite this English launched the attack and even threatened to injure her if she intervened.

“Before now, earlier, this is last week, she (Andrews) seh he (English) brutalise she but she didn’t tell nobody. All the time this thing did going on. Is only today me know dah is the life he been living with she. A time she seh he cuff she up and bungie she eye, she couldn’t even go to work and nobody ain’t know dah. Is today she come and relate although dah going on how long,” Domingo had said.