Survivors of Mahdia Dorm fire will need lifelong therapy

May 15, 2025 News

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–US-based psychiatrist tells court

By Rehanna Ramsay

Kaieteur News-  Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Amber R. Mc Donald, told the High Court in Guyana on Wednesday, that based on her assessment of two indigenous girls who survived the deadly fire at the Madhia School dormitory, lifelong therapy will be needed to help them cope with the horrific experience and lead normal lives.

The girls are among survivors of the horrific Mahdia School dormitory fire, which claimed the lives of 20 children who were reportedly trapped inside the grilled building in May 2023. They were both 14 years old at the time.

Their parents filed a lawsuit against the state for in excess of $10 million for inter alia, emotional and psychological damage they sustained as a result of the ordeal.

The trial got underway before Justice Sandil Kissoon, a day after Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall SC, and lawyers, Darshan Ramdhani KC and Mr. Satram failed in their bid to have the trial deferred to a later date.

The US-based therapist was among three witnesses called to the stand on Wednesday. Dr. Mc Donald, the Deputy Director of and Assistant Professor for the Stress, Trauma, Research, Trauma & Adversity (START) Clinic at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, testified virtually before Justice Sandil Kissoon that the cost to cover a lifelong therapy for the two survivors will run into at least US $120,000 or GYD$25 million each.

Dr. Mc Donald was called to the witness stand by attorney Eusi Anderson, who is representing the interest of the parents of the two survivors, Valerie Carter and Malcolm Cheong.

 The professor noted that based on her assessment, the treatment could start around US $35,000 and go right up to US $120,000.

She explained that “both girls have been independently impacted by this event, which has disrupted their daily lives. It has delayed appropriate development. As such, they will need extensive treatment to catch up and be able to manage themselves in a way to allow for continued growth.”

“However, the significant impact of this trauma will be lifelong; therefore when they engage in romantic relationships to begin their families or parenting children they will likely need to be re-engaged in therapy and address other issues that arise as they continue their follow ups throughout adulthood and become productive members of society, so as they age [sic] symptoms will shift and pivot based on where they are in their lives hence the shift to a lifelong therapy cost of $120,000” Dr. Mc Donald continued.

She later pointed out that the girls are going to need highly specialised care for them to contribute to society and grow into a fairly normal adulthood.

Both girls were evaluated and assessed virtually in October 2024. She said that she met with the girls independently.  According to the witness, both girls were evaluated using a clinically proven method of diagnosing psychological disorders.

Dr. Mc Donald specified that the girls were assessed for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). During the session, Dr Mc Donald said she evaluated the girls based on their demeanour, tone, and response.

She pointed out that one of the girls was nervous, quiet, and had a very difficult time speaking.

The other girl, Dr. Mc Donald said, was a bit more open about her struggles with, but it was clear that both girls were still dealing with trauma as a result of the incident.

She said it was clear both girls were diagnosed with anxiety-related disorders and PTSD.

According to her, the trauma they experienced can go beyond memory and emotional pain, but it can actually disrupt movements and cause aches and pain in the body.

Under cross-examination, Dr Mc Donald faced extensive questions relating to her experience in the clinical diagnosis of patients. Counsel for the Attorney General Chambers, Darshan Ramdhani, asked a series of questions about the witness’ work and process of diagnosing.

He questioned whether she had experience preparing reports for court and whether she faced challenges understanding the girls when she evaluated them.

The lawyer also questioned whether, based on a single independent virtual evaluation, she was able to make a proper prognosis of their psychological situation.

The doctor reaffirmed that the diagnoses were made following a series of tested and proven evaluation guidelines.

Asked whether the treatment would be geared at bringing the girls to the state of normalcy they had before the fiery tragedy, the doctor noted that the girls would never get back to that state of normalcy. She said that although she met with the girls more than a year after the ordeal, they were presenting with symptoms of PTSD.

“This situation will always be a part of their lives; their normal would be as normal as they possibly can, despite their experience, which they will live with for the rest of their lives,” she said.

He questioned whether the girls would need medication to help them cope, given the time elapsed since the deadly fire.

Dr. Mc Donald noted that she could not give a definitive answer as she is not licenced to prescribe medicine for patients.

She noted her evaluation and interaction with the girls are well and available for review by a medical professional who can prescribe, if necessary, the medication.

Last year parents of the two survivors sued the government, accusing authorities of negligence.

The lawsuit is seeking more than $10 million each for the girls. Attorney Anderson accused the government of failure to properly equip the school with required fire equipment, to properly train staff in emergency escape and management methods, and to provide marked, well-lit exit routes, fire extinguishers and other emergency equipment.

Anderson also stated in the lawsuit that the girls suffered from severe burns, smoke inhalation and mental trauma after witnessing the deaths of 19 females and a young boy who died trapped in the iron-grilled building as panicked dorm managers scrambled to locate keys to the locked doors.

One of the girls said in her deposition that she still has severe problems sleeping and “difficulty communicating and engaging with peers.”

Anderson argued that the government is fully responsible for the deadly fire since the girls were in its care at all times. Last July, Guyana’s Government said it would pay $5 million to the parents of each of the 20 people who died in the fire.

The lawsuit followed a government-appointed commission responsible for investigating the fatal fire, which blamed authorities in part for operating the dormitory without proper emergency systems in place.

The commission stated in its report that “there was no fire alarm system, no fire detection system, no exit signs and no smoke detection system. There were only three fire extinguishers provided in the buildings, and grills were seen on all the windows.”

Education officials have said the grills were necessary to keep girls from escaping and socialising with wealthy gold-and-diamond miners working nearby.

The commission recommended that the government improve safety at dorms, including installing extinguishers and sprinkler systems.

School dormitories are widely used in Guyana’s rural interior to serve children from distant mountain and jungle regions who are unable to go home at the end of a school day and return in time the following day.

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• High Court, lawsuit, Mahdia fire, parents, psychiatrist, survivors

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