Seven-year-old Shaniya Persaud yesterday succumbed to the injuries she sustained after being burnt in a fire that gutted her Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara home.
At the time of her death she was receiving medical attention at the Shriners Hospital in Galveston, Texas.
Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA) , the organisation which sponsored Persaud’s medical visit to the United States, announced her passing on their Facebook page last night.
In the brief statement issued, the NGO said Persaud “fought a long and difficult battle, but her fragile body could not longer continue.”
The statement said that “Her heart stopped twice and doctors tried desperately to resuscitate her. Sadly when it stopped the third time, heaven gained an angel.”
Stabroek News yesterday reported doctors saying that her chance for recovery was slim.
The NGO had disclosed that one of Persaud’s legs, a few of her fingers and a section of one of her ears were removed on Friday night.
The NGO has explained that despite doctors’ “incredible” efforts, Persaud’s wounds were not healing.
The Mon Repos Primary School student sustained second and third degrees burns to 97% of her body in the fire, which started around 1 am on August 5th at her house at Lot 101 Mon Repos North.
At the time of the fire, Shaniya and her brothers, Akeem Persaud, 9 and Brandon Anthony, 13, had been left home alone as their mother, Samantha Gayadin, was attending a wedding in the community.
The origin of the fire remains unknown.
A decision was made to have Persaud taken overseas after local doctors declared that not much could be done for her here.
Persaud, who was initially said to be recovering well after undergoing several surgeries, departed Guyana for emergency medical treatment on August 10th.
Due to the severity of her burns, she was transported via an air ambulance.
She was accepted to the Texas-based hospital, where she was treated free of cost.
