Latest update February 10th, 2025 5:23 AM
Burnt Charity teen on slow road to recovery
Susana Culpepper
Many can attest to the fact, that all it takes to quickly change the circumstances of one’s life, is the doing of one senseless act.
After more than a month of being set alight by her ex-boyfriend, 17-year-old Susana Culpepper, continues to bear the sad consequences of rage and jealousy of an abusive relationship. The teen who was torched by her ex-boyfriend, 21-year- old Kyle Goddett, is being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s burns unit.
Her current condition, as described by family members, is one that is somewhat unstable. Mother of the young teen, Cheryl Benn, explained that there are times when her daughter would relapse.
Ms. Benn added, “My daughter is definitely not well and she especially has problems with her two feet. There are times when she cannot walk by herself and so she would need assistance before she can walk.”
Benn with tears in eyes, said that at one point, she reverted to taking care of her daughter, the way she would for a baby, feeding and cleaning the helpless teen.
Family members told Kaieteur News on last Monday, that Culpepper would soon be transferred to a medical institution in the US, where she is to undergo major surgeries. The family noted that the teen’s entire body was disfigured by the burns.
Scars on the teen’s face and feet may eventually die away following plastic surgery, family members contended, however, that the emotional scars would always remain. The teen’s mother added, “Right now my daughter is very depressed. There are times when she would say, mommy I just feel like giving up.”
Ms. Benn said that her daughter’s current circumstances had led to financial constraints. The woman who once had a humble job of buying and selling crabs, is now unemployed as she cares for her daughter at the hospital.
Benn added, “My family is poor and so sometimes they send a $5000 and a $4000 and I try to make much with that because the doctors told me she have to eat very healthy, like beef, eggs and chicken for protein.”
As Susana Culpeper and her family endure this critical period in their life, Kyle Goddett, the perpetrator, is freely walking the streets on bail. The family claims that Goddett being a free man, is another injustice which they must continuously endure.
The family claims that Goddett after committing the act, maintains an attitude which reflects no remorse. On the contrary, the young man, according to family members, has been mocking and hurling threats at Culppeper’s siblings.
Ms. Benn who is now concerned about the safety of her children, added, “He has been talking and saying that it ain’t finish because what he said is that he gun kill she. My big daughter at home see him walking on the dam with knife clenched in his hands. He even threatened one of my sons to beat him up.”
It is uncertain at this time whether or not these threats were reported to the police. As a result, the family is appealing for Goddett to be put behind bars. The family believes that in the first instance, Goddett should have been remanded having committed such a serious act of attempted murder.
Benn added, “I want this Goddett to be in jail for what he has done to my daughter. He was never married to my daughter, he was just in a relationship, and he had no right to destroy my daughter.” Commenting on her daughter’s past relationship with Goddett, the woman added, “The relationship was never stable.
One time, he burnt her clothes and shoes, then he bore her on her face with a bottle. They were in the river and so I never knew all these things were happening… Eventually, she told me it was very abusive and she wanted to come live by me.”
In the meantime, the family remains optimistic that Susana would make drastic improvements, and that Goddett would be brought to justice. (Romario Blair)
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