Roxanne Winfield, the prison officer who was shot when she tried to prevent the escape of five dangerous criminals from the Camp Street prison in 2002, has died.
Winfield was 58, the Guyana Prison Service said. She died on Thursday at the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal from severe lung and Kidney complications.
She had worked in the Service for 29 years before she was shot in her right eye on February 23, 2002.
At the time of the incident, Winfield was performing gate duty at the Camp Street Prison when notorious criminals Troy Dick, Shawn brown, Andrew Douglas, Mark Fraser and Dale Moore staged a daring escape.
“She did her job and she did exactly what we would expect from a prison officer. Winfield who was on gate duty at the time, attempted to lock the gates as the escapees approached her, but unfortunately she was shot”, Director of Prison (ag) Nicklon Elliot stated.
Winfield was thereafter declared medically unfit to function as a prison officer and was being cared for at home.
She has been praised for her ‘heroic’ actions on the day of the escape.
Elliot expressed sincere and deepest condolences on behalf of the Guyana Prison Service, to the family, friends and colleagues of Winfield.
