Updated: Mentally ill suspected rapist killed self with rat poison while in police lockup

Last Updated on Tuesday, 18 September 2018, 20:22 by Denis Chabrol

Hours before a 47-year old mentally ill man was due to appear in court on a charge of allegedly raping a 16-year old girl, he commited suicide by consuming rat poison while in a police lockup, the Guyana Police Force said.

Stonie Henry died at  a city hospital where he was being treated for severe vomiting.

Investigators said several prisoners, who were in the lock ups at East Ruimveldt Police Outpost with Henry  were interviewed and they  recalled the man telling them that he was vomiting as a result of carbon tablets.

“They claimed they saw him vomitting and, upon questioning him,his response was “Carbon Tablet, I wan dead.” Having said that, he began to vomit and they alerted the police on duty,” police said.

The force did not indicate how Henry might have obtained the rodenticide while he was in the police lockup.

“A small plastic pack was found within the lock-up. It was photographed and bagged as evidence to be analyzed,” police added.

The reputed wife of the deceased told police that Henry, with whom she shared a relationship for the past nine years, suffered from depression, anxiety and other complaints.

Dr. Bhairo Harry of the Psychiatric Department, Georgetown Public Hospital supported the woman’s claim.

Henry, a welder of 539 Mocha Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was arrested on September 17, 2018 and charged with raping a 16-year old school girl.

He was due to be arraigned before a City Magistrate on Tuesday, but at about 6:15 AM he was seen vomiting in the East Ruimveldt police lockups.

“When questioned, he complained on feeling unwell and was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he died about 08:00hrs while receiving treatment.

Henry’s body is awaiting an autopsy to determine the cause of death.