Dr Hestianna Thomas has raged on. Some reports says she was battered to death by her husband who is a Consultant Clinical
Pathologist at
the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, while some say she committed suicide.A colleague of the deceased who is a surgeon in LUTH told Vanguard that the deceased
had a history of depression. The source, who pleaded anonymity, noted:
“The victim came in a pool of blood with a nylon bag over her head, face
smashed in, chest and arms fractured. Husband told us she had a history
of depression and suicidal attempts. I heard that she jumped off the
second floor. I spoke with her unit members, it seems it’s confirmed
that it’s a suicide, the family reached out in support to the husband
and confirmed the previous history of depression and won’t be taking
anything up.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Branch of NMA has condemned media reports
linking the death of the deceased to the husband. The NMA through its
Public Relations Officer, Dr Ibrahim Ogunbi, wondered why some
journalists should carry stories of such sensitive matters without
proper investigations.
“The rumours are too much but we do not believe them. We are
investigating the cause of the death to ascertain if the allegation by
some people that the husband killed the wife was true or not. We are
neutral until the autopsy report is made.” He noted that the reason they
could not believe the allegation levelled against the husband was their
findings during the association’s visit to the home of the
deceased.When we visited the home of the decease on Friday, we saw her
mother who also lives in the house. And during our interaction with her,
she said that the report making the rounds that her in-law killed the
daughter worries her; it has further inflicted pains on her, and that
those making such allegations are adding to her pains.
In a statement, the Chairman, Medical and Dental Consultants Association
of Nigeria, LUTH branch, Dr. Emeka Ogbolu, said the incident was a sad
event. He described the deceased as a very hardworking consultant, who
seemed indefatigable. Ogbolu who said he refrained from posting anything
noted that it would have been premature to do so.
He said,“I was appalled at how some people jumped to conclusions that it
was homicide without investigating or asking questions. I also had to
refrain because it is really painful being that I saw her on Tuesday and
therefore it came as a shock. I just came from their home where I went
to pay a condolence visit and what I saw was a pained and angry mother.
Her mother, after I introduced myself, pleaded that we do not abandon
her son-in-law who is a son to her. While weeping she asked why someone
will be so insensitive and wicked to her as a mother and conclude that
her son-in-law killed her daughter.
“She cursed those that started it because she said they have only added
to her pain which is already unbearable. She said she is a principal
officer in a university and has some background in psychology and she
knows the tell tale signs of domestic violence. She visits often and
would not have hesitated to forcefully drag her daughter out of the
marriage had that been the case.“She would have known from her
interaction with their children. She said those who started this have
stung her where it hurts because she does not joke with her children.
She said she broke down when she saw the newspaper that carried the
story. I saw a mother pained. I think it was genuine. I promised her I
would pass on her message as much as I can and that is all I have done.”
The late consultant was a member, Class of 96, UDOSA Benin Chapter and
member of the British Association of Paediatric surgeons. She graduated
with a bachelor of medicine and surgery (MBBS) from the College of
Medicine, University of Benin, Nigeria in 2003. Thereafter, she obtained
a post graduate training including specialist training in paediatric
surgery at the UBTH and LUTH, and a tertiary hospital in Accra, Ghana.