The woman who was chopped by her husband, who then killed himself, remains in a serious condition at the San Fernando General Hospital.
Vashti Suraj-Sookram, 30, a housewife, was chopped several times by her husband David Sookram, 38, at their home at Kanhai Road South, Barrackpore, on Monday night.
Her 65-year-old mother Rita Sylvan was cut across her left palm when she tried to help her daughter.
Sookram, a mechanic, then consumed a poisonous substance and ran to the back of the house where he died.
Suraj-Sookram underwent surgery and doctors had initially told the family that she had a 50-50 chance of survival.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Maureen Rampersad said her sister was recuperating and is in a stable condition at the Intensive Care Unit.
The couple’s two children, ages 8 and 12, were asleep when their father attacked their mother but during the commotion they got up.
The ambulance took about 35 to 40 minutes to arrive at the home, during which time Suraj-Sookram was in and out of consciousness.
Relatives were confused as to what triggered Sookram’s actions, as they described him as a non-violent person.
However, they said the couple had an argument and he left the home last Thursday. Barrackpore police are investigating.
