Son: He let alcohol control him
(Trinidad Express) A Ste Madeleine man was fatally stabbed during a domestic dispute with a close relative at his house on Monday night.
Gary Balgobin, 57, was stabbed in the chest with a kitchen knife and died while being treated at hospital.
Police have detained a 53-year-old mother of five and grandmother.
At his family’s home in Stanleyville on Tuesday, Balgobin’s family mourned his passing, but told the media that he drank alcohol heavily almost every day, which led to domestic disputes in the household.
One of Balgobin’s sons, Terrance Balgobin, said the disputes had caused him and other siblings to leave the household years ago.
He said the suspect who was in custody had suffered emotional and verbal abuse from Balgobin for almost three decades.
‘My father was not a violent or bad person, but he used to let alcohol control him when he drank. He would cuss and carry on. My mother faced sleepless nights with him. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and then Monday (he drank alcohol). He died drunk on a Monday,’ he said. ‘I want to see (the relative) walk free without anyone judging her. She is still in shock.’
He said his family often called the police to intervene in the family disputes.
‘The police took a few reports but nothing would come out of it. I am 29 years and since I know myself, we have been going through this with my father,’ he added.
He said there were a lot of other families going through similar situations who may be afraid to talk, but he was not.
‘I know what she (the suspect) was going through. I see people commenting online and I shut them down because I know what she was going through. Some days she would be trembling in her bedroom…When I saw her today, I told her we support her,’ he added.
On the day of the stabbing, police officers responded to the house around 7 p.m. and met the relative. Police said she told them that she and Balgobin had an argument in the house over his drinking, and during the argument, she took a knife and stabbed him in the chest. She then handed over the knife to one of the officers.
Paramedics took Balgobin and the relative to the San Fernando General Hospital. Balgobin died while being treated around 11.53 p.m.
The suspect was then taken to the Gasparillo Police Station to be interviewed by homicide detectives.
