The brother of Winston Blackette, the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) patient who was found dead in front of city store, believes the man was likely heading home when he collapsed and died after taking his leave from the hospital.
Blackette’s younger brother, Esan Rose, 30, who lived with Blackette at Lot 6 Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, told Sunday Stabroek that the man complained about abdominal pains, which led to him being taken to the hospital, where he was admitted.
When asked about health conditions Blackette faced, Rose said the family knows that Blackette was ill. “Yes we were aware. My sisters overseas said that he didn’t really tell them about it. The only thing he kept telling me was that he wants to go to the hospital,” Rose said.
He further explained that his brother complained that he was having pains in area of his ribs and chest. “So my girl checked him into the hospital and he checked himself out,” Rose informed.
Blackette was diagnosed with leptospirosis.
Rose said his brother has four children but they live with their mother. He added that he has informed his nephew about the man’s death and he is unsure whether the other siblings will be coming to Guyana to prepare him for burial.
On Thursday the police reported that they were investigating the death of Blackette, who was admitted into the GPH and was not discharged prior to his body being discovered by a security guard employed at Da Silva’s Optical, Middle Street, in Georgetown. It was reported that the body was found at about 9pm on Wednesday in front of the Zoon Online Shopping store, located across the street from Da Silva’s.
The police said that the guard who found the Blackette alerted his colleague who aided in assessing the situation before deciding to summon the emergency medical technicians. Upon their arrival, they announced that the man was dead.
The police added that Blackette was still wearing the hospital name tag. He was observed to be bleeding through his mouth and nostrils but there were no marks of violence on the exposed part of his body. Foul play is not suspected at this time.
