Students and teachers of the Mae’s Schools were left shocked yesterday after a Fourth Form student committed suicide.
Vanica Schultz, 15, died at the Woodlands Hospital, where she was rushed after falling ill at the private school. It was later discovered that Schultz, who distributed suicide notes to her classmates and teachers, had ingested a poisonous substance.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Director of the school’s Secondary Department Paul Burnette said Schultz arrived at school “happy” and distributed the notes before becoming ill during registration. “She was a pleasant, loving, regular, beautiful young lady. There was no indication whatsoever,” Burnette said.
He would repeatedly note that Schultz was a “normal child,” who showed no indication of any problems either at school or at home.
He explained that once Schultz had been taken out of the classroom, her classmates and teachers began reading the letters which she had distributed. Burnette noted that the letters offered apologies and encouragement to the recipients.
“It was after we left for the hospital that they started reading the letters and realised what she had done. I saw one which said I am sorry for upsetting you last week; know you are a great person and you have a bright future and I know what I’m about to do is going to be painful for you but stay strong and know that I love you,” he said, before adding that none offered an explanation as to why the teenager took her life.
He also said that it was while on the way to hospital that Schultz indicated that she had consumed a poisonous substance but she would say nothing more beyond “I’m sorry.”
Burnette and other school administrators disputed claims that the child was denied care while teachers argued about who would take her to the hospital.
“Within five minutes she was on her way to hospital,” Deputy Director Esther Winter maintained.
She noted that the child’s illness was communicated to the school’s general office, which acted immediately to get her treated.
“The teacher came to me around 8.35. I turned to Sir Paul [Burnette] to carry her out of the classroom. I asked another teacher to drive. I went to the cabinet, took out her file and called her mom. I told her mom, ‘Vanica is not feeling well.’ She said she was driving, so I didn’t want to alarm her. I said, ‘Vanica is not feeling well and it seems as though she needs medical attention. Which hospital would you like us to take her to?’ She said take her to Woodlands and I’ll meet you there,” Winter detailed.
The educators indicated that both the parent and the hospital should be able to verify the time when the child arrived, which they said was within 10 minutes of leaving the school.
“It didn’t take her ten minutes to get to the hospital. I stood there… in awe as I saw them work on her, flushing her stomach and all of that,” Burnette added.
Persons who are having thoughts of committing suicide are advised to seek help from someone whom they trust or respect. Persons can also access help from the Inter-Agency Suicide Prevention Helpline through the following:
Telephone: 223-0818, 223-0009 and 223-0001
Mobile: 600-7896 or 623-4444
Email: guyagency@yahoo.com
BBM: 2BE55649 or 2BE56020
Twitter: @guyanaagency
Whatsapp: 600-7896 or 623-4444
Facebook: Guyana Inter-agency Suicide Prevention Helpline
