(Trinidad Newsday) A 28-year-old Grenadian man was arrested in relation to the disappearance of missing Belmont woman Shannice Cooper. The man is a close relative of Cooper’s, police said.
Cooper was last seen on August 28 on her way to work at the Port of Spain Port. She was seven months pregnant. Police said her cellphone was found near a car wash in Woodbrook last week.
The police Cyber Crime Unit confiscated the phone and saw the last person she was in contact with was the relative.
The man, who also worked at the port, was held at his workplace on Monday by the Anti Kidnapping Unit.
Police said while being questioned, the man exhibited “symptoms of mental illness” and was taken to the St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital, where he remained under police guard up to late yesterday evening.
Newsday spoke to one of Cooper’s relatives, who said the family was struggling to cope with her disappearance and were holding out hope that she was still alive and would be returned to them soon.
“It’s hard for all of us right now. Especially her mother, as that’s her only child, but we’re still trying to be optimistic and hopeful that she is alive somewhere and that she’s just being held captive.”
The relative said Cooper worked aboard the Tobago ferry but was assigned as a steward when she was pregnant. She said Cooper was not known to leave home for extended periods and they were getting concerned as she is approaching her due date.
