Every morning since the tragic death of 24-year-old lab assistant Avianna Karim, students at the Parvati Girls' Hindu College have remembered her in their prayers.School principal Ann-Marie Tawari said in a brief interview yesterday that prayers for the former OJT trainee have been included in their assembly since she died on Monday.Student support services of the Ministry of Education are expected to provide counselling to students at the Debe school.
Four days ago tragedy struck as Karim, of Banwari Branch Trace, San Francique, died on arrival at the Penal Health Centre after she suffered a suspected epileptic seizure.However, the results of an autopsy by pathologist Dr Hughvon des Vignes at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, on Tuesday were inconclusive.Less than half-an-hour after Karim died, her husband Riaz Karim, fell ill from suspected poisoning and had to be taken to the San Fernando General Hospital.
To the relief of relatives, doctors moved him out of the High Dependency Unit after they reported that his condition improved considerably yesterday.Up to yesterday, Zainool Karim, said funeral arrangements were yet to be finalised for his daughter-in-law as they hoped to have Riaz would be well enough to attend the funeral.Speaking at their home on Tuesday, Zainool said the death had left his son saddened and frustrated as it had only been four months since they were married.
He said the couple were looking forward to starting a family. He added that it was the second time his son had been married with the first marriage ending in divorce.He said the couple had everything working in their favour. The house that he built would have been given to them as his son already had stable jobs. Riaz is a lecturer at Costaatt's San Fernando and Sangre Grande campuses.
Recalling Monday's tragedy, the father said: "When I went to the health centre, I saw her on a bed lying down and the nurse came to me and said she passed away."With all the emotions, I just watched and eventually my son said he was going outside and he came back after 30 minutes."He just dropped by the bedside, dropped his head on the bed, then he lay on the ground and started to vomit. One of my daughters-in-law, who is a nurse, said she was smelling something.
"Eventually he took off his slippers and he went and lie on the bed with her. His sisters were trying to keep him awake. They called Dr Chin and he said he could not do anything and to take him to the hospital.Police said yesterday they were awaiting the result of a toxicology test to determined how the woman died.