By Thia James

Woman seriously injured in assault now in stable condition

Jun 12, 2014 | 11:43 AM

A woman who was seriously assaulted in Prince Albert on June 1 has now been upgraded to stable condition.

Police responded to a reported assault and discovered a badly injured Marlene Darlene Bird, 47, that Sunday morning nearly two weeks ago near the Margo Fournier Center. Bird was taken to Victoria Hospital in critical condition, but was then transferred to Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital.

From there, Bird was transferred to Edmonton’s University of Alberta Hospital.

On Thursday, her aunt, Lorna Thiessen, said that Bird would have a second leg amputation that morning. Thiessen said her niece’s leg will be amputated because of the burns she sustained.

“It’s been burned to the bone,” she said.

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Bird has sustained extensive burns to her body and Thiessen said her niece has had skin grafts from her lower back on. She’s had several operations already, her aunt said. But she said it’s hard to say what’s going to happen, adding every day is different.

“She [has] several to go,” she added.

She is in what Thiessen described as a critical burn unit, which is more “intense” than the one in Saskatoon.

“She’ll be here for several weeks and then be back to Saskatoon in the burn unit out there,” Thiessen said.

“When she comes out, she’s going to need living accommodations, she’s going to need support for probably prosthetics, and probably maybe a scooter, or things in that line.”

She said Bird will also need a place to live and a general support system around her.

Bird, who is described by Thiessen as outgoing, is also the mother of two adult daughters and is a grandmother.

She is surrounded by close family and friends right now who have travelled to Edmonton to see her. Bird is conscious and Thiessen said she has been communicating, but is heavily sedated most of the time. Thiessen plans to share the messages of support from the public with her.

“And I’ve kept a daily record of all the stuff that has been happening with us and with her and so, in the future, she’s going to be reading in chronological order for her.”

The police continue to investigate the June 1 incident, and have asked for members of the public with video surveillance footage taken within the 1200 block of First Avenue West to turn it over to them. 

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames