A youth held for questioning about the death of teenager Melissa Soman, whose body was fished out of the Berbice River on Thursday, has told investigators that she jumped overboard after he launched an attack on her and the owner of the boat they were travelling in at the time.
Melissa Soman, also known as ‘Lisa,’ 17, a mother of a two-year-old, of Number 58 Stanley-town, New Amsterdam, was returning home around 8. 30 pm on Wednesday last when it is alleged that she jumped overboard.
A police source last evening said the teen’s boyfriend, who was taken into custody along with the boat owner, claimed that they were at a party where he noticed Soman dancing with several persons. They included the boat owner, who is a relative of the man.
The source said the boyfriend has claimed that he then started to “beat” Soman, after which she proceeded to the boat.
The young man told investigators that he followed Soman to the boat, where he then started to assault both her and the boat owner, after which she allegedly jumped overboard to escape.
Police, in a statement, had said that the boat owner, 48, who was first held, had claimed that the teenager was returning home from a birthday party in Gaetroy Village, Berbice River, when she jumped overboard.
He had also reportedly said that while they were in his boat, Soman told him that she and her boyfriend were having problems after which she plunged over-board. “He alleged that he immediately went to her rescue but was unable to save her,” the police statement added.
Around 3 pm on Thursday, Soman’s body was seen floating along the side of the river in Gaetroy Village and was retrieved.
The police source noted last evening that law enforcers are looking to revisit the scene with the suspect sometime today in order to gather more information.
Relatives yesterday told Sunday Stabroek that they are awaiting a post-mortem examination which is expected to be carried out early this week, since they strongly believe that the teenager was murdered due to the state in which her body was discovered.
Paul Soman, the father of the teen, told this newspaper on Friday that when he saw his daughter’s body, “her whole head from her neck to head damage, she didn’t have an eye, you only seeing her teeth. Her nice, nice hair burnt and paste on her head. Her right hand, all her flesh burn off, you only seeing her bare bones and knuckles, and when they turn her on her back, her neck shaking. I don’t know if her neck break or what.”
