PRESS RELEASE ON THE DEATH OF DR. HESTIANNA IDIODI-THOMAS
October 20, 2015
Project Alert on Violence Against Women is deeply touched and shocked by the death of a young female doctor, Dr. Mrs. Hestianna Idiodi-Thomas under very questionable circumstances in her home in Lagos.
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| Dr Hestianna |
Dr Thomas, a Consultant Paediatric Surgeon with Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, was rushed into LUTH on Thursday October 15th 2015, by her husband, Dr. Babafemi Thomas, a Consultant Clinical Pathologist and one time Chairman of the Lagos chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA. On arrival in LUTH, Dr. Idiodi-Thomas, a mother of two infant children, was declared dead.
Of particular worry and concern to Project Alert are the premature comments being attributed to the Medical Women Association, and Dr. Idiodi-Thomas’s family without an autopsy being done. Comments such as she was a psychiatric patient; she killed herself; she jumped from their first floor apartment etc. Such comments are inappropriate, and may be interpreted to mean that attempts are being made to pre-empt the result of the autopsy when it is eventually carried out. We will like to warn that such statements being attributed to the Medical Women Association and/or the NMA could land LUTH in a lot of law suits with regards to them knowing that Dr. Idiodi-Thomas was a ‘’psychiatric patient’’ and was still allowed to treat and operate sick children.
Project Alert is particularly happy that the Domestic Violence Response Team of Lagos has stepped into the matter and has called for expedited and unbiased autopsy on late Dr. Idiodi Thomas, in order to establish the real cause of her death.
The facts of the matter as made public so far are:
1. The unfortunate incident occurred at her residence.
2. She was rushed to the hospital by her husband.
3. Up on till three days before the incident, colleagues of hers said she was at work.
4. Some parents whose children she treated and operated upon have commented on her dedication to work and her cheeriness.
We are therefore calling for a thorough unbiased investigation into the questionable and violent death of this young female doctor. We are specifically calling for:
1. The constitution of AN INDEPENDENT GROUP OF PATHOLOGISTS, IF POSSIBLE FROM OUTSIDE LAGOS STATE, TO CONDUCT THE AUTOPSY.
2. Constitution of a team of medical professionals, women’s groups, DVRST Lagos, Ministry of Justice to work closely with the police to unravel this shocking incident.
We are indeed concerned about the seeming increase in reported cases of women being injured or dying in their homes under questionable circumstances. The home should be a safe place for every man, woman and child.
Signed
Josephine Effah-Chukwuma
Executive Director
Project Alert
May your soul rest in peace, Dr Hestiana. And if your husband is the cause of it all, may the truth be exposed through the autopsy. Amen.
ReplyDeleteRip
DeleteThat's all I can say.
Very good.women please speak up o.don't die in silence.i was surprised that there were very few comments on the domestic violence post yesterday.marriage is not a do or die affair. God made it to be enjoyable not endurable. Think of your kids. What will happen to them if something happens to you. A very good friend of mine was in coma for 3 days,after her idiot of a husband pounded her like a dog in heat,on her sick bed.she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. It took a coma for her to have a rethink.now she's almost free from the dog as she has filed for divorce.she has been dying in silence for 4 years. The man like f**k pass another thing. He wants it every day.if she refused,malice don start.he can go weeks without talking to her or eating her food. Until she give in,no peace in the house. Two weeks after she delivered her second child,he said oya madam I never try..i wan shop abeg. She was like,ah but I'm still bleeding Na. He didn't talk to her for two weeks after that. She had to open leg o,for peace to reign. She has been sick ever since. It was in that her sick state that he came and pounded her again till she collapsed. God forbid bad thing. Tueh
DeleteProject alert, you are doing an amazing job. God bless your team!
DeletePoor lady; may she rip. What a waste of intellect , so sad for her young children.
Delete@Nora, pound as in beat up or pound as on rough painful sex?
DeleteEither way, dude is sick! People find it hard to believe that a man can be guilty of raping his own wife.
Rape
DeleteEven if she had psychiatric problems in the past, her husband will sure use that as a gateway to commit a perfect murder. They shuld stop all these bias and allow investigations to go on.
DeleteHer mother is a very shameless woman, she shuld keep quiet instead of jumping into conclusions. Paediatric surgery is not for people below Einstein IQ. If they are sure it was suicide, let them allow the process to be completed.
So sad.. . Rip ma'am
DeleteSo true! Nigeria can't be trusted to get anything right.
ReplyDeleteI will never understand men who hit their wives.Cowards that can only shamelessly fight women.
DeleteOne of the qualities of a real man is being able to put your self in check when you upset. The ability to take a deep breath and walk away.
Even educated men that you would expect to be civil and sane end up disappointing you.If you fall in the category of men who lack self control and hit their wives, woe betide you if you do not repent.
If you are a man/woman of the fist, bury your face in shame.The army is still recruiting , make yourself useful by fighting Boko Haram.
I support the motion that the autopsy be done outside Lagos or even Nigeria if it were possible.I don't trust these people.
RIP lady
Whirlwind
See fine doctor dying because of violence. she closed her mouth and now she is gone. i want to be MRS by fire by force.
ReplyDeleteThey should hold the husband well and find out what he did to this beautiful woman. RIP and may God comfort your family especially your mother, father, brothers, sisters, cousins and the children and parents of those you have treated.
Dis case is more than a week and I am yet to hear from the Husband.
ReplyDeleteI only want to know why his late wife had a BROKEN head.never mind d other injuries.
Ayam shocked o! A medical Doc wife Beater.
Continue to rest in Doc. U were beautiful.
My dear, some men are animals and their profession wont change them. I know some terrible medical doctors that womanize, drink, smoke and batter women. Beautiful woman rest in peace. I imagine how hard she worked to be a consultant pediatric surgeon as such a young age as a woman.
DeleteMy dad broke my mom's head while we were younger
DeleteHmmmm memories!
Thank God she didn't die
She stayed for us.
Going anonymous.
seems all those enlightened men abuse more these days, my ex a graduate too was extremely abusive but thanks to God almighty that my heart changed. too
DeleteHope the man is innocent
ReplyDeleteVery good. The truth will be unravelled in a matter of time. The thought of her violent death still sends shudders down my spine.
ReplyDeleteThe autopsy should be carried out in a state other than lagos state.
ReplyDeleteWith the husband being a pathologist and a known one @that,i doubt d autopsy would yield any fruit cos it's result would definitely be tampered with by those loyal to him after all its also a pathologist that wld be carrying out d autopsy.
I have taken a particular interest in this story and something just doesn't add up. D manner @which she was brought in and circumstances surrounding her death are questionable and d culprit i could pin point is none other than her husband.
Trust luth to sweep this under d rug.
They claim she was a psychiatric patient;really!!! Who does that. Luth media team deserves some spanking for coming out with such an outrageous claim. Some faction claim she's sick upstairs bt yet she was allowed to practice.
Truth is she isn't sick and I dnt care what any other says...this is purely a case of domestic violence until proven otherwise
DeleteFor me, what I find perplexing about this case is the comments that have been attributed to the deceased's mum. She has been quoted to have rained curses on anybody suggesting that her late daughter's death was suspicious and that her son in law may be involved in the death. I just cannot understand how a bereaved mum would be making such desperate comments instead of being shattered because of her loss and anxious for the truth to be unravelled.
Anonymous u spoke my mind. I read her mother's statement and she has destroyed this matter if truly her husband killed her. With such coming from the mother of the deceased, leaves one with nothing much to think of the matter.
DeleteI'm always amazed when people choose to be blind to mothers's faults...
DeleteAs if d mama is above being a conspirator of the highest order.
*na so diabolical mothers in disguise go just dey bury their children without shame and fear of God *who dem wan deceive forever * check mama & husband then, e no hard if she too want truth true-true*
The death of this young lady is so unfortunate and such a painful one. I hope her killer is caught soon by the law.
ReplyDeleteYour comment will be visible after approval.
Yetinde says it is well o,I don't know Dr thomas in person but clinical students had so much to say about her,she's a cool person,Inna lillai waina Ileahi Rojihun.
ReplyDeleteYetinde says it is well o,I don't know Dr thomas in person but clinical students had so much to say about her,she's a cool person,Inna lillai waina Ileahi Rojihun.
ReplyDeleteOnly God knows what happened to this lovely looking lady. Sometimes I just wish the dead could speak for themselves.
ReplyDeleteohhh, another nicompoo has killed his wife!
ReplyDeleteall ye women that wants to die untop man matter, oya make una recieve sense from the holy spirit!
Now now you wake ba! You wey dey beg God for husband since. Mtchwew!
DeleteLOL @Kingrex......i don beg God to change am to trillions of dollars biko
DeleteI know the best pathologist for this, he's a COMPOL. Report this matter to the Police and ask for the COMPOL who is a pathologist to do the autopsy. Specifically ask for this pathologist.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, his Secretary is married to an abusive man. I wonder how women are! After typing and reading reports on women being killed due to DV and she still wants to 'die there'.
Boy! Make I mind my business.
May her soul rip
ReplyDeleteOnly God knows what happened to this lovely looking lady. Sometimes I just wish the dead could speak for themselves.
ReplyDeleteRIP beautiful lady. Only God knows what/who killed you.
ReplyDeleteMay justice be served on your behave.
a.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said...
ReplyDelete.
May her soul RIP....
.
.
***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***
Such an unfortunate death....
ReplyDeleteRIP beautiful young doctor....
I doubt if anything will come out of this analysis,Nigeria is corrupt country,it is corrupt from the root
ReplyDeleteOnly God knows till we hear the result. Rest in peace
ReplyDeleteClose sources of hers said she's had 2 previous suicide attempts so let's not be quick to judge. Even her mum has said they Shld leave her son in law (that's d woman's husband) out of it cos they know their daughter isn't ok!! And heard d parents refused to accept she had a psychiatric disorder even when it was very obvious.
ReplyDeleteHopefully an unbiased autopsy is carried out
She wasn't ok and yet was attending to patients 3 days before she died.
DeleteHer husband wuld have also capitalised on the fact that she had psychiatric problems in the past.
DeleteU said her parents said to leave d hubby out of this cos according to u,dey know deir daughter wasn't ok.
DeleteAnd d same u now went ahead to say that the woman's parents refused to accept she had psychiatric disorder even when it was obvious.
Anony Alaluukwa?
Even if she was suicidal before, pls ask those husband and family members wey dey fit make person suicidal in their midst, "what then made her suicidal and what did they do about it?",
DeleteWhat a pathetic way to end such a beautiful and young doctor's life. This is a big loss.
ReplyDeleteI hope the autopsy is conducted without any fool play so that the cause of her death can be unravel.
RIP.
May she continue 2 RIP
ReplyDelete*****MhizDerbyViaIG*****
Karma awaits her killer.....
ReplyDeleteRip
...hohohohoho
RIP Dear. Thank God for Project Alert who has brought many cases like these to public awareness, they would have bn regarded as normal and life goes on and casualties keep increasing.
ReplyDeleteOmase ooooo
ReplyDeleteRest in peace lady. For now, only God knows what really caused her death, until the autopsy is done.
ReplyDeletewhat a sad way to end...I pray the truth comes out soon
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad, I couldn't help but shed tears when I read this story. It's really sad this young woman had to go just like that, leaving her young kids behind.....
ReplyDeleteI just pray she finds justice. If her husband is responsible, he will know no rest. Though it may tarry but the truth will come out soon.
Please the relevant authorities shouldn't let this case be swept under the carpet just like that, there is more to this story than they are making us believe.
My first question is....WHY HAS THE HUSBAND BEEN SILENT?
RIP beautiful one.
This is so sad, I couldn't help but shed tears when I read this story. It's really sad this young woman had to go just like that, leaving her young kids behind.....
ReplyDeleteI just pray she finds justice. If her husband is responsible, he will know no rest. Though it may tarry but the truth will come out soon.
Please the relevant authorities shouldn't let this case be swept under the carpet just like that, there is more to this story than they are making us believe.
My first question is....WHY HAS THE HUSBAND BEEN SILENT?
RIP beautiful one.
Case of domestic violence is somehow simple. Just interview her kids and the house help. Enough evidence will flow. No matter how the husband covers up, the kids will blab. If innocent, interview her neighbours if any. That cut on her head must have come with loud screams.
ReplyDeleteRIP Dr.
You're very correct.The kids and the house help should be interviewed.Her first child is still too young to be brainwashed,so he'll say the truth with all the innocence of a child.
DeleteThis case should be investigated throughly cos I see LUTH covering up the truth and protecting their staff. May God rest her soul.
ReplyDeleteIf a man expects a woman to be an angel in his life,he must first create Heaven for her..Angels don't live in hell..
ReplyDeleteHmmm.... #word! R.I.P pretty woman.
DeleteMay God expose whoever that is responsible for her death. RIP beautiful doctor.
ReplyDeletePeople living around the area will knowcthe truth.even if her kids and a house help if she has any have been threatened and are afraid to speak out.ordinary maiguard or d neighbours househelp can help solve this puzzle
ReplyDeleteI just wish people would stop speculating and that proper investigations would be done. it is wrong to jump to conclusions. Truth be told she had some mental health issues and previous suicide attempts. all these can be verified. This is not to rule out domestic violence but how about if her husband is innocent. This would also be a grear travesty of justice. it would be very dangerous for investigations to be biased on either sides. People who don't even know the family are jumping to conclusions. It is very unfair
ReplyDeleteIt's true many do not know the family but society has just produced another killer and anxiety directly or indirectly...shame still.
DeleteNo assumptions let's wait for the autopsy...
ReplyDeleteSo painful and such an unfortunate death, some times I just wish the dead could speak for themselves, RIP.
ReplyDeleteI am shocked to my marrow reading this. I hope the truth is revealed but I wouldn't want the investigations to be biased. But even if she's mentally incapacitated, would she break her own head? I just tire! on the other hand, I am not certain that her husband is the culprit here. I mean, why will a man break his wife's head?
ReplyDeleteJesus Fix this!!
Hestia and her husband live in one of the flats on No 16 Gani Dabiri Street, Ajao Estate beside Chivita Company. There are up to other 5 flats in that compound and not a single neighbor saw when Hestia jumped from her flat. Her husband raised no alarm when he saw his wife had committed suicide for neighbors to bear witness, rather he took Hestia into his Car with a black bag covering her head with blood dripping as narrated by the gate man, came back went up to his flat and cleaned everywhere before calling neighbors! My brothers and sister what is the police waiting for? Go and interrogate the neighbors and the truth will come out, No Man will see that the wife committed suicide without raising alarm. But wait! assuming Hestia is suffering from Depression and is having suicidal attempts as claimed by her husband, is she supposed to be left unsupervised at any time? Isn't that the first thing a psychiatrist tells any patient relative with suicidal attempts? Something is fishy and sure they are trying to cover this up! This man murdered Hestia and the Police should wake up and do their work!
ReplyDeleteHestia and her husband live in one of the flats on No 16 Gani Dabiri Street, Ajao Estate beside Chivita Company. There are up to other 5 flats in that compound and not a single neighbor saw when Hestia jumped from her flat. Her husband raised no alarm when he saw his wife had committed suicide for neighbors to bear witness, rather he took Hestia into his Car with a black bag covering her head with blood dripping as narrated by the gate man, came back went up to his flat and cleaned everywhere before calling neighbors! My brothers and sister what is the police waiting for? Go and interrogate the neighbors and the truth will come out, No Man will see that the wife committed suicide without raising alarm. But wait! assuming Hestia is suffering from Depression and is having suicidal attempts as claimed by her husband, is she supposed to be left unsupervised at any time? Isn't that the first thing a psychiatrist tells any patient relative with suicidal attempts? Something is fishy and sure they are trying to cover this up! This man murdered Hestia and the Police should wake up and do their work!
ReplyDeleteHestia and her husband live in one of the flats on No 16 Gani Dabiri Street, Ajao Estate beside Chivita Company. There are up to other 5 flats in that compound and not a single neighbor saw when Hestia jumped from her flat. Her husband raised no alarm when he saw his wife had committed suicide for neighbors to bear witness, rather he took Hestia into his Car with a black bag covering her head with blood dripping as narrated by the gate man, came back went up to his flat and cleaned everywhere before calling neighbors! My brothers and sister what is the police waiting for? Go and interrogate the neighbors and the truth will come out, No Man will see that the wife committed suicide without raising alarm. But wait! assuming Hestia is suffering from Depression and is having suicidal attempts as claimed by her husband, is she supposed to be left unsupervised at any time? Isn't that the first thing a psychiatrist tells any patient relative with suicidal attempts? Something is fishy and sure they are trying to cover this up! This man murdered Hestia and the Police should wake up and do their work!
ReplyDeleteWho breaks their heads first, then inflict personal injuries on their bodies before then taking their lives?!!!. Its enough injustice that they are feigning she killed herself, but to imply she was psycho. . . haba!!!! Let's all walk the talk on this I beg you sisters! Even if she kept silent and protected the image and reputation of her family (most likely her kids) she is dead now, but let not justice die with the grave silence of the victim. What can we all physically do?!
ReplyDeleteWho breaks their heads first, then inflict personal injuries on their bodies before then taking their lives?!!!. Its enough injustice that they are feigning she killed herself, but to imply she was psycho. . . haba!!!! Let's all walk the talk on this I beg you sisters! Even if she kept silent and protected the image and reputation of her family (most likely her kids) she is dead now, but let not justice die with the grave silence of the victim. What can we all physically do?!
ReplyDeleteWho breaks their heads first, then inflict personal injuries on their bodies before then taking their lives?!!!. Its enough injustice that they are feigning she killed herself, but to imply she was psycho. . . haba!!!! Let's all walk the talk on this I beg you sisters! Even if she kept silent and protected the image and reputation of her family (most likely her kids) she is dead now, but let not justice die with the grave silence of the victim. What can we all physically do?!
ReplyDeleteWho breaks their heads first, then inflict personal injuries on their bodies before then taking their lives?!!!. Its enough injustice that they are feigning she killed herself, but to imply she was psycho. . . haba!!!! Let's all walk the talk on this I beg you sisters! Even if she kept silent and protected the image and reputation of her family (most likely her kids) she is dead now, but let not justice die with the grave silence of the victim. What can we all physically do?!
ReplyDeleteHmmmm....Any diaries, ipad (check the notes), diary app on phone? She might have made some entries (depression, suicidal thoughts or documented physical or emotional abuse in her marriage).
ReplyDeleteMany aspects of this story are disturbing. An educated individual should know a crime scene should not be disturbed. There's a lot of important information forensics experts can obtain from a crime scene. If he was worried about her, being a doctor, he could have removed the plastic bag over her head to ensure she was breathing.
However, being his wife, he might have been flustered and thrown caution to the wind.
The law says an individual is innocent until proven guilty beyond all reasonable doubt. Let's not subject her spouse to the court of public opinion but to the rule of law, hoping justice prevails.
Suicide or homicide, this remains tragic. Wish it could have been prevented. My heart goes out to all her loved ones.
She was a lot more than her profession. She was a beautiful soul, a gem. RIP Hestia.