2-year-old found dead in Pomeroon River

…body found 1-mile from home; Police investigating

Police in Regional Division No. Two are investigating the suspected drowning of a two-year-old of Kabakaburi Mission, Upper Pomeroon River, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). Dead is Samirah Evans. The incident reportedly occurred between 12:30h and 17:30h on Saturda at Kabakaburi Mission. According to police enquiries, the child lived with her mother, Shenella Jacobus, 23, a housewife; her father, Leon Evans, 23, a labourer; and other relatives at their home located on the left bank of the Pomeroon River. The child’s mother told investigators that at about 12:30h on Saturday she was washing clothes at the back of the house when Samirah began crying and went to breastfeed her. After feeding the child, Jacobus said she placed Samirah in the kitchen area and returned to washing clothes. When she later finished and began hanging the clothes in the yard, she called out for the child but received no response. She then began searching the kitchen and surrounding areas but was unable to find the toddler. The mother said she later checked the landing area, located about 300 feet from the house, where she discovered a piece of underwear the child had been wearing. An alarm was raised and relatives, along with residents of the community, began searching for the child, but initial efforts were unsuccessful. Police said that at about 17:00h on Saturday, ranks from the Charity Police Station joined a search party comprising relatives and community members after the incident was reported at about 16:40h on Saturday. Searches were conducted around the landing area, nearby trenches and surrounding areas but yielded no results. At about 17:30h, additional searches were carried out in the vicinity of Warapana, Upper Pomeroon River. During the search, the body of the child was discovered floating in the river by a 48-year-old resident of Warapana, along with other members of the search party. Police said the body was located approximately one mile from the Kabakaburi Mission landing. The body was transported to the Charity Farmers’ Wharf, where it was examined by police. Investigators observed that the child’s body was clad only in a diaper and suspected fish bites were seen. Police reported that the right foot appeared to have been partially eaten by fish, believed to be piranhas, and similar marks were observed on the face. The body was subsequently escorted to the Oscar Joseph Public Hospital at Charity, where it was examined by the doctor on duty from the Charity Cottage Hospital and officially pronounced dead. Police are awaiting a post-mortem examination as investigations continues.