Almost 4 years later: Remains of mother, children who perished in Bartica fire laid to rest

Nearly four years after a tragic fire claimed the lives of a mother and her two young daughters at Four Miles Squatting Area, Bartica, Potaro Road, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), they will finally be laid to rest.
Carolina Kennedy, 48, a housewife, and her daughters, Mariana Downer, five, and Gabriella Kennedy, three, perished in the blaze allegedly set by Carolina’s reputed husband and the father of the children.

The tragedy occurred when Carolina’s husband, enraged after allegedly overhearing a phone conversation between Carolina and another man, set their house on fire on December 12, 2020.
The Bartica Police Station received a call about the fire, and despite the efforts of the Guyana Fire Service and the police, the wooden structure was completely engulfed in flames by the time they arrived. The charred remains of Carolina and her daughters were found in the southeastern corner of the house.
Since the incident, Carolina’s family has faced numerous challenges in retrieving the remains. They took to social media seeking assistance from relevant authorities, expressing their frustration at the bureaucratic obstacles that had prevented them from giving their loved ones a proper funeral.
They claimed that Carolina’s mother passed away without having a chance to lay her daughter and granddaughters to rest.
Family members recounted several trips to Georgetown, only to return empty-handed due to delays in testing, including DNA analysis. However, with the intervention of the Amerindian Affairs Ministry and a payment of over $300,000, the family finally received the remains on Tuesday.
The suspect was found hiding in the bushes near the house shortly after the fire and was arrested with minor burns to his feet.
The family has cremated the remains and will hold a funeral service in honour of Carolina and her daughters, on Thursday bringing a long-awaited closure to their tragic story. (G9)