By: Licec Bastian
A teenage girl is in hospital being treated for self-inflicting wounds in an alleged
suicide attempt police said on Tuesday.
The 14-year-old, who resides in a local housing facility was found shortly after 7:00
p.m. on Monday when attendants in that facility were making routine checks. The teen
was found with abrasions to her wrists and legs following an argument with another
female resident.
Emergency Medical Technicians were summoned and transported the juvenile female
to hospital.
This is the sixth attempted suicide in a month according to this Journal’s records.
During the week of September 25 police reported four attempted suicide cases.
A 47-year-old Grand Bahama woman attempted suicide while at her home on
Sparshot Road by ingesting a quantity of over-the-counter medication. Days prior
another female, a 33-year-old Abaconian, also ingested a quantity of prescription
medication and alcohol in an attempt to take her life.
A week before these attempts were reported, a 24-year-old female of Pinewood
Gardens was at her home when she also ingested a quantity of prescription
medication.
Another Grand Bahamian woman a 44-year-old jumped out of a moving vehicle, in an
attempt to take her life.
Police also reported, within this same time frame, a 25-year-old male’s attempt at
taking his life. When police arrived at a home on Rugby drive, off Yamacraw Hill
Road in response to a domestic complaint matter, officers stated that they encountered
a male who barricaded himself in a room and inflicted two deep lacerations to his
wrist with a broken glass.
At the start of the month, Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said that as he is
alarmed by the number of attempted suicides and pledged to have police officers
trained and become certified in managing mental health issues. He also noted that
there are concerns about the mental health of his officers who go out daily to protect
the country.
There were 43 attempted suicides in the country in 2022 when compared to 39 in
- The rate of suicides increased 33 percent in 2022 when compared to 2021 with
eight persons committing suicide in 2022.
As police remain concerned, Chief Superintendent, Chrislyn Skippings appealed to
the wider community to take the time to talk with each other and listen to what they
are saying.
While she acknowledged that there are stresses in life, Chf. Supt. Skippings said that
it is only there for a short time.
“There are various stresses that we are going through as a country; you will always
have stresses [whether] light bill, telephone bill; people have stress over their gas bill.
They are stressed because of relationship; any number of stresses.
“The thing is to be able to identify that the stress is only there for a short time. Be able
to communicate with someone; tell them exactly what you are going through and as a
people we have to be a little bit more tolerant,” Chf. Supt. Skippings said.
She also called for family members to pay attention to different behaviours of not just
other family members but also friends.
“If you see them becoming withdrawn, they are not as active as they used to be
something is wrong. Pull them aside and talk to them.
“We don’t need anyone else losing their lives,” Chf. Supt. Skippings added.
