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American teen drowns during outing with family at Linden

Demarius Payne(Facebook)

An American teen who had travelled to Guyana to celebrate his birthday, drowned during an outing with family on Boxing Day in the Demerara River at Linden

The post-mortem conducted by Government Pathologist, Nehaul Singh, on December 30, gave the cause of death of Demarius Payne, an 18-year-old college student from Atlanta, Georgia, United States and Wismar, Linden, as drowning.

Payne’s aunt, Onica Naar on her Facebook page yesterday angrily refuted the version of events posted on a news site and related what happened on the fateful Boxing Day. The family along with the teen who had come to Guyana to celebrate his birthday, were in a boat in the Demerara River when it sank. Everyone ended up in the river and while Payne was swimming, he caught a cramp and panicked, causing water to enter his lungs.

This explanation came after the Guyana Police Force released a report stating that the incident occurred at Coomacka Mines, Linden. “Enquiries disclosed that the teen came to Guyana to celebrate his birthday. On the date mentioned above, Payne was with relatives at the creek. While swimming, he ventured out to the deep part of the creek and attempted to cross over to the other side of the creek. In doing so, he submerged under water. The family members along with others, searched the creek and Payne was fished out of the creek in an unconscious state.”

The body was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Ricketa Eddie-Moore, on behalf of Payne’s former Sandy Creek High School Football (Official) wrote on her Facebook page, “Sandy Creek High School Football (Official) is an extension of our family!!! To get news that Demarius Willabus- Payne, one of Justin Moore’s classmates and former high school teammates transitioned on his 18th birthday is numbing and gut wrenching…. Please keep his family, coaches, teammates and classmates in your prayers….” She added, “He was the epitome of a scholar athlete who’s gone too soon. I’ll miss his hugs and smiles whenever and wherever he would see me. I gave birth to 3 sons but find myself mothering many more of the boys on this team and my heart aches especially for his mother Odessa right now.”  

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