Single father attempts suicide, feeds toddler poison

The Guyana Police Force has launched an investigation into an alleged suicide attempt committed by a man who also attempted to take the life of his toddler.
Reports are that the incident occurred on Tuesday morning along the East Coast of Demerara.
Guyana Times understands that the man admitted to ingesting a poisonous substance and later feeding same to his toddler.
The condition of both victims is regarded as stable, while they remain in a medical facility under observation.
The man reportedly told Police that with the recent suicide death of his wife in February, he was burdened with the care of their offspring – all toddlers – and he could not cope.
This is the second parent who this month has ingested a poisonous substance and had fed same to their child.
Just a week ago, a teen mother of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) fed her baby a poisonous substance, after which she ingested same.
The identity of the mother has not been released to the media; however, the Police have said that both the mother and baby were taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) after they were found vomiting.
They were immediately treated and placed under observation at the medical facility, and an investigation has been launched into the incident.
Prior to this incident twenty-year-old Temecia Sampson of Phase 1B, Wisroc Squatting Area, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) had fed her eight-year-old daughter and six-month-old son a poisonous substance before ingesting same. This incident occurred last month.
The woman and her two children were immediately admitted to hospital, with the mother’s condition being listed as critical. It was reported that the woman showed no sign of improvement, and never regained consciousness.
She and her six-month-old son subsequently died, after being hospitalised for a few days. Her eight-year-old daughter survived the ordeal.
In April 2018, 25-year-old Hofoswana Awena Rutherford killed her two children by feeding them with carbon tablets.
The woman was subsequently sentenced by Justice Navindra Singh to 98 years’ imprisonment on two counts of manslaughter.
On the first count, the killing of four-year-old Hodascia Cadogan, Rutherford was sentenced to 45 years’ jail; while on the second count, the killing of one-year-old Jabari Cadogan, she was ordered to serve 53 years’ jail time.
After hearing the verdict, Rutherford had collapsed on the floor when the 12-member jury unanimously found her guilty on both counts on March 15, 2018.
According to reports the jury believed the State’s evidence that the mother had given each of her children half of a tablet of aluminium phosphide (rat poison) on March 27, 2014 at Supply Branch Road, Mahaicony, ECD. (G9)