The body of a teenage girl suspected to have been raped and strangled was found in the Paradise Cemetery, East Coast Demerara under a tree on Wednesday evening.
The discovery was made about 17:30h. Patricia “Catty” Young, 19, formerly of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara was found with her underwear off; her skirt pulled to her stomach; and the top she was wearing tied around her neck. Her boyfriend whose name was given as “Jamal” was taken into police custody minutes after the gruesome discovery.
According to information received, the teenager and her boyfriend have been living together for more than a year, a stone’s throw away from where her body was discovered. She reportedly left home on Sunday just after midday to join her friends in the city to witness the Mashramani Costume and Float Parade, but did not return home.
Her boyfriend, after she did not show up, began inquiring of her friends as to her whereabouts, but no one knew where she was. It was until Wednesday afternoon, he found a slipper belonging to the young woman and went straight to the Vigilance Police Station where he lodged a missing person’s report and told them about the slipper. The police reportedly accompanied the young man to the area where he found the slipper and after a few minutes of searching the area, the teenager’s body was found.
Kwesi Young, the uncle of the dead teen told Guyana Times International that the young man went to his home on Wednesday and told him that his niece was missing. He said that they assisted in searching for the young woman, but came up empty-handed. The distraught uncle stated that after searching for a while, they decided to use the clue of the slipper and went to the burial ground where the woman’s partially decomposed body was discovered in what appeared to be a shallow grave under a tree.
Strong young lady
He is of the opinion that his niece was probably returning home late Sunday evening when the perpetrator(s) carried out the attack. He said that his niece was a strong young lady and felt that it had to be more than one person involved.
He admitted that the young woman and the suspect would fight often, but does not believe he is capable of committing the act. “I cannot say if he was a part of it,” the uncle stated. Young added that his niece worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken, but left about a year ago and was employed at Bettencourt at the time of her demise.
Patricia’s parents died in 1997 and she lived with her grandmother and relatives in Plaisance before she moved to Paradise with Jamal. Persons in the area claimed that they did not hear any screams on the night the young lady met her death.
A co-worker who was at the scene told GTI that she spoke with the teenager about 21:00h on Sunday via social media, WhatsApp.
She recalled receiving a text from the young woman inquiring from her if she was going out, to meet her on Mash night, but she did not take up the offer. She said that Patricia was supposed to work on Monday morning, but she did not turn up and she attempted to contact her, but the phone went to voicemail.
The young lady, who asked to remain anonymous, stated that while at the office on Monday, several persons called to find out if Patricia was at work but she did not recognise the voices. However, she knew something was amiss when the teenager’s boyfriend turned up at the business place inquiring about her.
The woman said that she questioned him thoroughly and all his answers were sincere. “We tried to call her phone but it was the same thing… we called other friends but they did not see her,” she added. In tears, she added that she was at work when she got the devastating news and rushed to the scene.
One resident said that the area is in dire need of street lights and the lack thereof might have contributed to the young woman’s demise. The woman’s body was taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Home and is awaiting a post-mortem examination.
The former Plaisance Community High School student leaves to mourn her five siblings.
