(Trinidad Guardian) A mother is mourning after her daughter and two grandchildren were found dead inside a decommissioned Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) tank in Parlatuvier, Tobago, last night.
Police officers from the Moriah Station discovered the bodies of Sarah Smith, 33, of Parlatuvier, along with her three-year-old son Genuine and 18-month-old daughter Phoenix in the water tank, which is near their home.
The grim discovery was made during a search operation in the area, which also involved members of the Hunters’ Search and Rescue team.
The mother and two children were last seen in Trinidad on August 30. However, the last time they were physically seen in Tobago was on September 2.
Smith’s mother, Jacqueline Wayne, contacted the Moriah Police Station at 7.15 pm on Tuesday (September 10) and reported her daughter missing.
In tears during a telephone interview yesterday, Wayne told Guardian Media, “This is a horrible time for me. I can’t deal with nothing right now. I came up here to find my daughter and grandson alive, not dead. I can’t cope right now, God!”
She became inconsolable and couldn’t continue speaking.
Police reports said that her relatives became suspicious after Smith had not been answering her phone. Her mother told officers she had also heard that Smith was acting strangely, hearing things, and had been seen walking naked.
Smith and her two children were said to be staying in Parlatuvier after being evicted from their home a week earlier. Police initially searched her last known address but couldn’t find her.
It wasn’t until 5 pm yesterday that officers noticed a foul smell coming from a nearby area. This led them to an empty 40-foot tank, where they found the bodies.
Authorities, including from WASA, the Tobago Emergency Management Agency and the fire service, were called to assist with recovering the bodies after the discovery. Investigations are ongoing and a post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted at the Scarborough General Hospital Mortuary.
Attempts to reach Chief Secretary Farley Augustine were unsuccessful last evening.