An Eastern Cape family is blaming the death of their 16-year-old daughter, who was raped and later died at an East London hospital from a head injury, on Butterworth Hospital.
On the evening of Christmas Day, Esinako Nkomo was sent by her mother to buy airtime at a nearby shop, but she didn’t come home.
While walking to the shop, she was allegedly attacked by a local man in an attempt to rape her. Esinako tried to fight the suspect off but he overpowered her by slamming her head against a rock and then proceeded to rape her.
The next morning Esinako went home, and her mother — as any mother would do — reprimanded the young girl for not sleeping at home. Esinako apologised but didn’t tell her mother what had happened to her.
According to her uncle, Mfezeko Nkomo, in the afternoon her mother noticed that she was not well and asked her what was wrong.
“Then she told her mother that she had been raped and that her rapist threatened to kill her if she told anybody,” he said.
Esinako was taken to the Butterworth Hospital where a rape test was conducted but she was not admitted and the family, along with their daughter, went home.
A case of rape was opened with the police shortly after.
“We noticed that she was getting sicker and sicker. We took her to the hospital again but we did not get any assistance,” said the mother.
The teen was apparently taken to the hospital on more than one occasion before being taken to Frere Hospital in East London.
“At the Frere Hospital we were reprimanded for not bringing her in earlier,” the mother said.
“They told us she had suffered brain damage and if she were to live she would be paralysed.”
The hospital told them they should be prepared for anything.
“And last Tuesday we received the terrible call that she was no more,” said the mother.
“We blame the Butterworth Hospital for her death. If they had attended to her earlier, she would have lived.”
Eastern Cape Department of Health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo sent condolences to the family for their loss, saying the department followed the necessary protocols.
“We follow referral systems and a patient must first be seen by the nearest hospital. On further assessment, it is at a doctor’s discretion to refer a patient to a tertiary hospital for specialist care.
“In this case, such protocols were followed, which included emergency care and collection of DNA using a police-supplied rape kit to assist in ensuring successful prosecution. We understand why the family is grieving at the moment,” Kupelo said.
Reports suggest the community has a suspect in mind but were warned by the police to not harm him as they are investigating the matter.
Pictured above: 16-year-old Esinako Nkomo who died after being raped and slammed into a rock.
Image source: Supplied
