An Essequibo father says his 13-year-old daughter has not been seen for almost a week since she was spotted leaving her home with a man, who is now keeping her at an unknown location.
Benita Fredericks, of the New Opportunity Corps Compound, at Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast, was last seen on January 24, leaving in a car around midnight with the man, who reportedly hails from Riverstown Sands. The man’s relatives have since approached the girl’s family to settle the matter.
The teen’s father, Alvin Fredericks, yesterday visited Stabroek News and indicated that he made the shocking discovering when he went to the bathroom and noticed the kitchen door open and the light on. He said he immediately checked his daughter’s room and found that she was missing.
He said he made a report at the Suddie Police Station, but he is becoming frustrated at the manner in which the police are conducting investigations, pointing out that he and his wife have not yet been asked for a statement even after making several visits to ascertain the present situation. Also, he said, his home was not inspected by any ranks as he had expected.
Fredericks said after inquiries of his own, he found out that his daughter was seduced by a male about three times her age and is being kept at an unknown location. He said this was the same individual who was seen picking up the teen in his motorcar the night she disappeared. The man’s father is said to be a pandit in the village. It was his father who provided the police with a telephone number for the man implicated in the matter so he can be contacted.
According to Fredericks, he too made a note of the number and upon calling it he was surprised to hear his daughter’s voice. The man said he was told by the young girl that she was warned by the man not to disclose her whereabouts and as a result she refused to tell him.
Fredericks said he has since been approached by the man’s father and uncle, who asked to have the matter settled so as to avoid having him face prosecution and the possibility of being jailed. “My response was that it was in the hands of the police [and] my only concern at this stage is to get back my daughter,” he said.
“This is the worst grief ever by me and my wife and we would like our loving daughter to be reunited with us to continue her school work and even further her studies in fulfilling our ambition for her to become a professional woman some good day,” Fredericks said.
