(Trinidad Express) Two protection orders could not save a 31-year-old Gasparillo mother of two from being stabbed to death by the man who was abusing her.
Shanti Sewlal, of Esmeralda Branch Trace, Corosal Village, bled to death at her home on Monday night while her killer walked away. Two of her young relatives witnessed the killing and ran screaming from the house into the arms of neighbours and relatives.
Sewlal’s niece, Sarah Sookram, 21, said her aunt had been tormented by her killer for several years with verbal and physical abuse.
Sookram said two months ago Sewlal ended the 13-year relationship with the suspect and started a new life.
“She just wanted to care for her children. She would always be the one working. He would stay home and sleep. She was fed-up and he went to live somewhere else. But he would always torment her. He would go to her job and threaten her. She started a new job this week just to get away from him,” said Sookram.
Police said that a male friend of Sewlal’s, also of Esmeralda Road, was recently assaulted.
The niece said that around 7 p.m., Sewlal returned home from work to her apartment downstairs her family home with groceries.
The dead woman’s mother, Rowtie Sookram, who has a speech disability as a result of a stroke, said she saw through a window the killer walking into the apartment.
“Shanti took a bath and as she came out of the shower he stabbed her with a knife,” said Sookram.
“He threw her on the bed and stabbed her in her chest three times. The third time was so hard that the handle broke off and the blade remained in her. Then he walked out.”
Rowtie said one of Sookram’s young relatives ran into the road screaming hysterically, while the other relative ran to the house of a neighbour for help.
Neigbours said the killer then ran into the bushes. He was later seen in a vehicle owned by his sister. Police intercepted the vehicle with the suspect and the sister reportedly told police that she picked up the suspect on the street. She said when she tried to convince him to surrender to the police, he jumped out of the vehicle.
The suspect was in hiding last night.
Sewlal’s relatives received counselling yesterday.