‘My mommy abuses my ouma’: Grandson seeking urgent help for his 83-year-old gran
HURTING: Edna Sinclair, 83, from Atlantis. Picture supplied
A concerned grandson is seeking help as his elderly grandmother is allegedly being abused by his own mother, who is looking after the 83-year-old.
Ryan Sinclair says that his grandmother Edna Sinclair from Atlantis has terrible injuries to her body but is unable to defend herself.
“My daughter told me that they were hitting Mama and I said she should provide me with evidence,” says Ryan.
“She then sent me pictures and voice notes about how Mama is being abused at the house.”
He alleges when he tried to help his ouma by letting her move in with him, his mother Rene Clayton threatened him with the law.
“My grandmother is bound to the bed, she can’t walk and speak properly,” he explains.
“I told my brother about the abuse but he said he will lock me up because I’m trying to help my grandmother.
“I even called my mother to ask her why she is doing this, but she didn’t respond and told people I bother her.
“My daughter also exposed her and she was thrown out of the house. They took the cellphone with the original evidence on it,” he says.
Ryan claims he has tried everything in his power to get help, and then decided to ask for assistance on Facebook.
He says his ouma had a blue mark on her chin and a raw open wound on her arm.
In a voice recording posted on social media by Ryan, a woman demands that Edna goes to sleep, and swears at her.
“You want to f***ing sit whole time outside with your stink p***. Get in the f***ing bed. Close her with the f***ing blanket. I will f***ing kick you, f*** off.”
She’s also heard saying: “Laat daai vrou gaan pis voor ek haar trap.”
In the recordings, the ouma can be heard calling out for help.
“Ek is nie dronk nie, don’t let she push me so. I can't, she is going to kill me. Help me.”
Ryan alleges the voices in the recording belongs to Rene and Edna.
“Haar verdict is my ouma het geval. She tells the people that she does not talk with my ouma in such a way,” he says.
When the Daily Voice approached Ryan’s mother about the allegations, she referred us to her lawyer Garry Rose.
Rose said: “My instructions from my client is to obviously give no comment and whatever steps you guys decide to take, we will back those steps with legal action if necessary.”
Esther Lewis, spokesperson for the Department of Social Development, says that senior citizens have the right to be protected.
“The Department funds the organisation Age-in-Action, as well as Dementia SA to assist with awareness as well as investigation of elder abuse cases,” she says.
“Anyone experiencing elder abuse, or who suspects that an older person is being abused can report it directly to the police, or at their nearest DSD office.”