Pot overturns and kills granny

Freak accident claims elderly woman’s life in Portland

The quiet community of Rural Hill in eastern Portland is now in a sombre mood, following the untimely passing of an elderly woman, who died during a freak accident at her home yesterday morning.

Jestina Wilson, 80, died after a pot of ‘blue draws’ overturned on her, killing her. It is suspected that she may have slipped while attempting to lift the pot off a coal stove, which overturned, causing the contents to come in contact with her body.

A grandson of the elderly woman was also badly burned during the freak accident.

Investigators have theorised that when the woman fell, fire coal from the stove fell on her leg, resulting in severe burns. The woman’s grandson was also lying unconscious with burns to his arms and chest.

“It is rather a sad period for the family and residents,” said Mertella Smith, the eldest daughter of the deceased.

GONE TERRIBLY WRONG

“It is customary for her to get up round 4 a.m. to boil blue draws, which she sometimes sells to residents and students. When we got here shortly after 6 a.m. on Friday, we suspected that something had gone terribly wrong. Despite our knocking on the door, there was no answer from her and her eight-year-old grandson. We had to break through a window, and upon entering the house, we found her lying on the ground beside the youngster,” Smith said.

It was a neighbour, Tio Stewart, who broke through a window at the back of the house and entered, while making the gruesome discovery.

“When I entered the house, the lady was motionless, lying beside her grandson,” said Stewart

“She had burns all over, and there was a mop lying on the ground, which was also burning. At first we thought that the grandson was dead, but a policeman arrived later and administered CPR, and he somewhat revived and started coughing,” he added.

The woman was pronounced dead by a doctor and the grandson was rushed to hospital, where he has since remained in a state of unconsciousness.

Superintendent Duane Wellington, head of the Portland police, said the matter is being treated as a sudden death, pending the outcome of investigations.

The pair of slippers that was being worn by Jestina Wilson at the time of her untimely death has been placed beside the coal stove, which may have contributed to her demise.

GARETH GAVIS PHOTOS Family members struggle to come to terms with the death of Jestina Wilson, 80, who perished in her home in Rural Hill, Portland, yesterday.