Guyana - Mystery illness kills one child, leaves siblings hospitalised

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<TABLE class=contentpaneopen><TBODY><TR><TD class=contentheading width="100%">Mystery illness kills one child, leaves siblings hospitalised </TD><TD class=buttonheading align=right width="100%"></TD><TD class=buttonheading align=right width="100%"></TD><TD class=buttonheading align=right width="100%"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=contentpaneopen><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Written by Jeune Bailey Vankeric </TD></TR><TR><TD class=createdate vAlign=top>Friday, 09 April 2010 03:51 </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>
At Lochaber Village, Berbice?



A MYSTERY illness has struck a family in the Berbice village of Lochaber, Canje, killing a six-year-old girl and leaving two of her older siblings hospitalized.


The victims, including Lilamattie Ramdeen alias ?Chiney?, mother of the children, are all from Lot 10 Lochaber.

Ramdeen received intravenous infusion at New Amsterdam Hospital after being taken there in a dehydrated state on Tuesday last.


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Following the death of Devi Mangal called Tina and the admission of her brothers Ajay, 9, and Devishkar, 7, medical staff at the institution are monitoring the condition of the surviving children.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital, Mr. Leslie Cadogan told the Guyana Chronicle that the young patients are under the supervision of a paediatrician but, if there is need for further intervention, they will be transferred to Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).


Meanwhile, Ramdeen told this newspaper that, on Tuesday, in company with her reputed husband, Carl Edwards, the now deceased child and a one-year-old baby, went to Chesney, Corentyne, at the Office of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), leaving the other children at home


During their return journey, between 14:30 h and 15:00 h, she purchased a small bottle of drink and gave some to Devi and the infant and, later along the way, she bought two red cakes (salara) and two pine tarts.


Ramdeen said Devi vomited as soon as they reached home and complained of developing a fever.


The mother said she gave the girl a teaspoon of panadol syrup, then put her to lie.
Ramdeen, in tears, related that the girl awoke at 19:30 h and, although she said she wanted nothing, the parent forced her to sip a little tea and eat a piece of pine tart.


The woman said the girl, at her request to go back to sleep, was put in her bed, where she slept until 01:30 h Wednesday, awakening with pains in the head and vomiting.


Fifteen minutes later, the sick child relieved herself and returned to sleeping.


At 06:30 h, the nursery school pupil continued complaining of pain in the head and feet, prompting the mother to take her and Devishkar, who was suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting the same time, to the hospital.


It was shortly after 08:00 h that the doctor on duty informed her that the girl had died.


The woman recalled that a neighbour had sprayed the next yard with chemicals which caused much damage to her cash crops but was uncertain whether that could have triggered the sickness of her children.


Police investigating the occurrences detained Ramdeen and Edwards at Central
Police Station, in New Amsterdam, but released them hours after.


A post mortem examination of the dead girl?s body is expected to be performed on Monday.

http://www.guyanachronicleonline.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11840:mystery-illness-kills-one-child-leaves-siblings-hospitalised&catid=4:top-story&Itemid=8#Scene_1

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Re: Guyana - Mystery illness kills one child, leaves siblings hospitalised

This sounds like some kind of poisoning.

http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/stories/04/10/west-canje-girl-dies-of-mystery-illness-siblings-hospitalised/

West Canje girl dies of mystery illness -siblings hospitalised
By Stabroek staff | April 10, 2010 in Local News Three children of Lochaber, West Canje Berbice, who took ill on Wednesday and were rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital, are still patients while a sibling did not survive.


Carl Edwards and his wife Lilamattie ‘Chiney’ Ramdeen with their daughter Lisa and their son Devishkar.
Six-year-old Devi ‘Tina’ Mangal, was the first to show signs of illness on Tuesday and a post-mortem examination would have to be done determine what caused her death. Two of the surviving children, Devishkar Mangal, 7, and one-year-old, Lisa Edwards, seemed to be improving but their older brother, Ajay Mangal, 9, was still not doing too well. He was “sleeping all the time,” his stepfather Carl Edwards said yesterday.

Edwards said Devishkar was “running around” and even said he was “ready to go home.” Edwards has not met the doctor as yet to find out what exactly was wrong with the children.

Devi was rushed to the hospital early on Wednesday morning along with her older brother, Ajay who also complained of feeling unwell. The other children were also subsequently admitted to the hospital.

Edwards recalled that Devi started vomiting and developed a fever around 3:30 pm. He said his reputed wife, Lilamattie ‘Chiney’ Ramdeen gave her daughter fever reliever and put her to sleep.


Devi ‘Tina’ Mangal
She woke during the night and cried out for headache and vomited again. Early the next morning she complained of headaches and pain in the feet. By then Devishkar also complained of feeling unwell and the two were taken to the hospital.

The man, who works as a carpenter on the East Bank of Demerara, said the children were found to be dehydrated but he could not understand why. As far as he was concerned, the children did not suffer from diarrhoea that could have caused them to be dehydrated and they would normally drink a lot of liquid.

He said he had already left for work on Wednesday morning when he got the news around 9 am that the child had died and he immediately travelled back to Berbice.

He also dispelled rumours that the children were not eating proper meals and said up to the Easter weekend when he got a break from work and came home he gave Ramdeen all of his money to purchase items for the house.

Edwards, who is the older children’s stepfather and Lisa’s father, said he also purchased kites for his stepchildren and took them to fly the kites on Easter Monday. He said the children attend the Lochaber Primary and would “hold hands and go to school every day.” They would also return home for the lunch. He said their mother does not work and stays at home and take care of them.

The man mentioned too that Ramdeen and the children’s father were separated about two years ago and since he became involved with her he has been taking care of the children.

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Re: Guyana - Mystery illness kills one child, leaves siblings hospitalised

Contrary to the above article, gastrointestinal symptoms were present. For reasons not yet clear to us, the focus is on the parents.

http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/letters/04/11/the-mother-and-stepfather-of-devi-mangal-were-not-arrested/

The mother and stepfather of Devi Mangal were not arrested
By Stabroek staff | April 11, 2010 in Letters Dear Editor,
The Guyana Police Force is responding to an article published in the Kaieteur News on Friday, April 9, 2010, under the caption ‘Child’s sudden death leads to parents’ arrest.’

The article which dealt with the death of six-year-old Devi Mangal of Lochaber, West Canje, Berbice, at the New Amsterdam Hospital on Wednesday April 7, 2010, stated in the last paragraph that the mother and stepfather had been arrested and up to late yesterday [Thursday] afternoon they were still at the police station as investigations continued.

The Police Force wishes to state that at no stage were the mother of the child, Lilawatie Ramdin, and her stepfather Carl Edwards arrested by the police or detained at any police station.

Upon being informed of the death of Devi Mangal at the hospital on Wednesday April 7, where she had been admitted along with her brothers Ajai Mangal, 9, and Diviskar Mangal, 7, the police commenced investigations during which Lilawatie Ramdin and Carl Edwards were invited to the Central Police Station.

They subsequently arrived there at about 1500h and left at about 1830 h on Wednesday, April 7, after giving written statements concerning the matter to the police who during the ensuing investigations were informed by the authorities that the children had been admitted to the hospital suffering from severe dehydration and gastro.

The force reiterates that the mother and stepfather of the affected children have not been arrested nor were they detained by the police.

A post mortem examination is to be performed on the body of Devi Mangal.

Yours faithfully,
Ivelaw Whittaker
Public Relations and Press
Officer

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Re: Guyana - Mystery illness kills one child, leaves siblings hospitalised

Tough to guess what this will be now, especially in light of the brief hospitalization of the mother.

http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/stories/04/12/west-canje-children/

Still no word on cause of illness


The West Canje, Berbice mother of the three children who were admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital after they took ill suddenly on Wednesday, said doctors were still not finding the cause of their sickness.

Lilawattie ‘Chiney’ Ramdeen’s six-year-old daughter, Devi ‘Tina’ Mangal was the first to fall sick with vomiting, diarrhoea and pain about the body on Tuesday afternoon. She died around 8 am on Wednesday morning after she was taken to the hospital.

A post-mortem examination (PME) is expected to be conducted today to determine the cause of death. Ramdeen’s eldest child, Ajay Mangal, 9, also became ill on Wednesday with symptoms similar to those of his sister and he too was admitted to the hospital.

Subsequently, his two younger siblings, Devishkar Mangal, 7, and one-year-old, Lisa Edwards got sick and they became patients at the institution. While their condition has improved within the last two days, Ajay was still not doing too well.
His mother said yesterday though, that Ajay was more alert and was no longer vomiting whenever he ate.

She told Stabroek News that she asked the doctor was exactly was wrong with her children because she was worried about them. The most the doctor could tell her, she said, was that the children were not the victims of food poisoning as had been suspected.

And in a new development, Ramdeen herself was hospitalized on Saturday (just for the day) and had to take saline after she too experienced symptoms similar to those of her children.

According to her the doctor discharged Devishkar and Lisa on Saturday and she was making arrangements to take them home when hospital staff informed her that they had received instructions to keep them until the PME had been completed.

There were rumours that the children were not eating proper meals, but Ramdeen and her reputed husband, Carl Edwards – the stepfather of the three older children and Lisa’s father – vehemently denied this claim.

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Re: Guyana - Mystery illness kills one child, leaves siblings hospitalised

Negative for typhoid. And the suspicion of a pesticide poisoning.

http://www.guyanesenews.com/news/siblings-remain-hospitalised

Categorized | News
Siblings remain hospitalised
Posted on 12 April 2010 by admin

Child?s sudden death?

As the parents of six year-old Devi Mangal anxiously await the post mortem examination, their two other children remain hospitalised.
Yesterday, the children?s father, Carl Edwards, said that at no time was he or his wife, Lilamattie Ramdeen, taken into police custody. This was further supported by the Guyana Police Force through a statement.
According to the Police statement, following the report of the child?s death, the parents were invited to the Central Police Station where they were made to give statements. Both Edwards and Ramdeen were released.
The statement continued that the police were informed that the children, including the one who perished, were admitted to the hospital suffering from severe dehydration and gastroenteritis.
Edwards told Kaieteur News yesterday that the other two children are showing major signs of improvement but his wife is now showing similar symptoms as her children.
He added that his wife had a typhoid test done but it came back negative. Edwards further related that several other tests were done on the two other children and they are awaiting the results.
On Wednesday last, six-year-old Locaber Primary School student, Devi Mangal, died and her two other siblings, Ajay, 9, and Deviskar Mangal, 7, were hospitalised.
The children?s mother, Lilamattie Ramdeen, called ?Chiney girl? of 10 Locaber, West Canje, Berbice, and her one-year-old baby, Lisa Edwards, were also hospitalised. They have since been discharged.
Ramdeen and the children live with her husband, Carl Edwards.
Ramdeen?s three older children are from a previous relationship.
Speaking with Kaieteur News, the woman said that the children were not ill and her daughter?s death and the other children?s sickness remain a mystery to her.
The woman said that on Easter Monday the children were all well and flew their kites at the Locaber playfield.
On Tuesday she, her daughter, Devi, her baby and husband Carl Edwards went to Chesney to enquire about the water supply from Guywa.
The woman said that she bought a drink and shared it with the baby and her daughter. Later in the day she bought two red rolls (salaras) and two pine tarts from a roadside vendor in front of the market.
She said that around the same time her daughter started to complain of feeling unwell and she gave her some Panadol Syrup. The time was around 19:30 hours.
She said that she gave her some green tea and a pine tart.
The woman recounted that around 01:30 hrs on Wednesday, her daughter started to vomit and complain of feeling pains about her body. Some five hours later, about 6:30 hrs, the situation worsened; the girl started to vomit more frequently and was apparently in severe pain.
The woman?s husband said that he was subsequently informed that his neighbour had sprayed their yard with a weedicide.
He said some sections of his yard got the poisonous substance.
?Like they spray they yard and some get on the front bed with bagie but we pick from another bed fuh cook,? Edwards said.
However, the neighbour has been quoted as denying spraying the yard or any other place during this period.

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Re: Guyana - Mystery illness kills one child, leaves siblings hospitalised

http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/stories/04/13/west-canje-childrenpathologist-not-ready-to-release-findings-of-autopsy/

West Canje children:Pathologist not ready to release findings of autopsy
By Stabroek staff | April 13, 2010 in Local News An autopsy conducted yesterday on Devi ?Tina? Mangal, the six-year-old girl who West Canje, Berbice girl who died last week, but pathologist Dr. Vivikanand Brijmohan is not yet ready to release the findings.

He told Stabroek News yesterday that he has ?found something? and has sent specimens for testing and wants to ?verify with the laboratory results before I release any findings.?

Devi fell sick with vomiting, diarrhoea and pain about the body on Tuesday afternoon. She died around 8 am on Wednesday morning after she was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Her mother, Lilawattie ?Chiney? Ramdeen, said her eldest child, Ajay Mangal, 9, also became ill on Wednesday with symptoms similar to those of his sister and he too was admitted to the hospital.

Subsequently, his two other siblings, Devishkar Mangal, seven, and one-year-old, Lisa Edwards got sick and they became patients at the institution. Devishkar and Lisa were subsequently discharged on Saturday.

Ramdeen was making arrangements to take them home when hospital staff informed her that they had received instructions to keep them until the autopsy had been completed.

However, yesterday the boys? father turned up at the hospital to take them away and Ramdeen had to seek the intervention of the Probation & Welfare Department of Region 6. Meanwhile, Ramdeen herself had been hospitalised on Saturday and had to receive saline drips after she too experienced symptoms similar to those of her children.