A Night of Terror That Turned Love to Ashes
Early Wednesday morning at their home on Lot 22, Second Street, Cummings Lodge, a peaceful household descended into a nightmare. At around 1:30 a.m., Paula Abraham, just 50, was brutally stabbed by her husband, Ishwar Singh, aged 46. The horror escalated as the suspect set fire to the bottom flat of their two-story home. As flames began consuming the house, their daughter, Preeta, aged 24, was roused by her mother’s desperate screams. Feeling the heat before fully awakening, she sprang into action—escaping through a door she forced open and racing outside to seek help.
Neighbors responded, and the fire spread rapidly from a burning sofa in the hallway. Moments later, Ishwar emerged from the bottom flat, severely burned, only to collapse in the arms of the chaos he created. Firefighters from the Guyana Fire Service arrived swiftly and contained the blaze before more devastation swept through the home.
: A Daughter’s Narrow Escape and a Family Shattered
The raw, emotional strength of Preeta’s escape paints a harrowing portrait of bravery and maternal sacrifice. Woken by her mother’s final moments, she fled in terror while the home erupted around her. It is this instinctual response—ignited by a dying plea—that likely saved her life.
Inside, tragedy had already unfolded. Paula was discovered motionless, fatally wounded, yet spared from further harm by the timely arrival of firefighters. Her body, though covered in blood, was not burned. Ishwar, transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital, succumbed to his injuries, leaving the community stunned by a crime so intimate and violent.
For Preeta and the extended family, today is not just about mourning two lives lost—it’s about grappling with betrayal, terror, and the memory of a mother whose final act may have been her daughter’s salvation.
A Community Heals as Authorities Investigate
As investigators continue to piece together the events of that fateful early morning, the Cummings Lodge community gathers in sorrow and support. The Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Vindya Persaud, has visited the family, offering condolences and assistance during immense grief.
No clear motive has been released—though Preeta has told police that her father had a history of alcohol use and violent threats toward her mother. This backstory only deepens the tragedy, revealing that fear and instability had long simmered behind closed doors.
Now, with homes repaired and families leaning on each other, the community must find a way forward. Through shared grief, remembrance, and justice, they honor Paula’s memory and ensure Preeta knows she is not alone. May both Paula and Ishwar rest in peace, and may their daughter find healing in time.