Woman who was set on fire by her jealous boyfriend is being treated in the US
With Jamaica lacking a burn unit to treat her severe injuries adequately, the Hanover woman, Nicola Clarke, who was allegedly doused with gasoline and set on fire by her jealous boyfriend last Wednesday, is to head to the United States today to undergo treatment.
Reports are that about 4:30 p.m., on Wednesday, May 19, Clarke, who operates a car wash and bar at Great River, got into an argument with her boyfriend on the Hanover-St James border, who accused her of being unfaithful.
During the argument, the boyfriend allegedly got into a fit of rage and doused her and the premises with gasoline before setting them ablaze.
The building was destroyed while Clarke was rescued by persons who rushed to her assistance.
The police have said that the suspect is now in custody after later turning up at the hospital for burns to his body.
The trip was made possible by the Kingston-based non-profit organization Sanmerna Foundation Limited, which is underwriting the cost.
Stephen Josephs, the projects manager at Sanmerna Foundation, told reporters that he moved his foundation to assist in a critical matter of much urgency.
He shared that Clarke was given the okay to travel on Tuesday and will depart at noon today.
“We have just gotten the acceptance letter for the hospital to receive her, and she will be flying from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay by Trinity Air Ambulance,” said Josephs. “She will be received at the facility JMS Burn Unit at Doctor’s Hospital in Augusta, Georgia, in the United States.
“So far, we have gotten some figures, and the foundation is working on how to mitigate some of those costs,” added Josephs.
There were original plans for her to be flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital, but the US$1.5 million (J$225 million) was prohibitive, Jackson said.
“The patient is presently at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, and I must say big-up to the medical team. They have been working very hard, and they are part of why this has become a total success. Also, I must say thank you to the Passport [Immigration and Citizenship Agency] because her passport was destroyed in the fire,” said Josephs.
The organization learned of Clarke’s ordeal through their interactions with the family of Terry-Ann Collins, who died while waiting on assistance to travel overseas to treat burns sustained from a gas cylinder explosion last December.
“Immediately, the Collins family reached out to us and said they know that we can help her, based on what the group did for their sister,” said Josephs. “They asked us to render any assistance which we could, and so here we are,” said Josephs.
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