Arti Ramkhalawan celebrated her third birthday yesterday surrounded by relatives on her bed at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital.
And although the child could not be treated to none of the extravagant celebrations her mother had planned, relatives say she is coming along fine.
Her aunt said: “She is doing well. She is doing much better. Her mother was planning to give her a big party this year with bouncy castles and face painting but when she comes out, we will see how best we can make it up to her.”
Arti remains warded at hospital and is being treated for cuts to her hands, neck and face that she suffered when her father, Premnath Ramkhalawan, stabbed her mother, Aarika Bhim, to death on Sunday night.
Her aunt, who asked not to be identified, said she was at Arti’s bedside from early yesterday morning, along with her mother, Sharda Bhim.
“My mom (Arti’s grandmother) went to see her and I stayed until about three o’clock,” she said.
However, the child is yet to be told of her parents tragic deaths. Aarika and Premnath were laid to rest on Wednesday in separate services.
The aunt said the family would have to decide together how soon Arti should begin counseling.
“My mother will have to make that decision. When they release her (from hospital), we will have to decide how soon after she goes for counseling.”
Earlier in the day, another relative, Chandra Sonny, said Sharda was planning to stay overnight with the toddler who she had not seen since Sunday.
“She left early this morning because she said today is the child’s birthday and she wanted to stay with her. She is planning to stay overnight with her as well,” Sonny said.
The nursing staff in Ward Five, where Arti has been kept since her grandfather found her lying on her mother’s lifeless body minutes away from their Penal home, also tried to make the toddler’s day special.
Medical director at the hospital, Dr Anand Chatoorgoon, said nurses sang the youngster “happy birthday” and were planning to get her a birthday cake yesterday afternoon.
“The nurses on the ward would have showered her with love for her birthday. They told me they have plans to get her a cake as well this afternoon (yesterday),” he said.
Birthday greetings and prayers poured in for the toddler on social media yesterday when the T&T Guardian sent greetings via their Facebook page.
Users liked, commented and shared the sentiment, all eager to wish the child well despite her circumstances.