East Bank Berbice double suicide: 14 year-old was two months pregnant

Two persons are now dead in a double suicide at Lonsdale, East Bank Berbice (EBB), Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) which occurred on Wednesday morning.

Dead are Sherriann Ali, 14,of Brothers Village and Deeraj Persaud, also called “Prakash”, 20, of Lonsdale. The two were discovered in a bedroom at Persaud’s home about 7:30h hanging by the neck from ropes. The discovery was made by Persaud’s uncle, Shafeek Ally.

Reports are that the two were lovers and Ali was two months pregnant. The two had been living together for the past two months with Persaud’s father until he passed away on December 19. However, on Monday, Police were informed of the relationship and arrested the couple. Ali was taken to see a doctor where it was confirmed that she was almost two months pregnant.

On Monday at Central Police Station, New Amsterdam, the Probation Department advised that the couple be separated and Ali remains in the custody of her guardians in the adjoining village of Brothers.

According to Persaud’s uncle, on Tuesday, Ali visited Persaud twice and returned home on each occasion. Meanwhile, Ali’s foster mother, Shaloma Lattiff said on Tuesday evening every effort was made to ensure Ali did not leave the home. According to her, they locked the teenager in a bedroom and ensured that she could not open the door. “This morning [Tuesday] when we wake up an go in the bedroom, she gone. She take out the louvers and jump through the window and gone.”

Lattiff reported the matter to the Sisters Police Station and a party of Police Officers along with family members went to Persaud’s home situated two villages away. A padlock was found on the outside of the door. “We knock on the door and call, but nobody answer, so we say that that they get away and gone somewhere.”

Meanwhile, Persaud’s uncle, who lives a few houses away, was alerted and went to the house as soon as the Police Officers left. “I knock on the door and call, I hear the music playing low and when I peep through a crease I see a bed on the ground, so I know that he put the padlock on the door and then jump through the window and go inside, so he got to be in the house, but he ain’t answering me.”

With that knowledge, Persaud’s uncle went to a side window and opened it. “When I jump in the house, I see the bedroom door open and I look inside and see the two of them hanging.”

The Police were immediately alerted.

Persaud’s uncle said he was of the opinion that the couple took their lives after the Police visited. This, he said, is based on the fact that neighbours saw Persaud about 05:00h going to the outhouse. “The Police had threatened them that if they catch them together, they will lock him up and send her to girl school (Juvenile Correction Centre), so after they realise that they get catch, he probably say that he ain’t going to jail and she ain’t going to girl school.”

Asked whether there were indications that one may have assisted the other in committing the act, Persaud’s uncle said no. “They had a clotheshorse and they stand up on it and jump off. The two hold hands and jump off together, he had a long rope and she had a short one, he was touching the ground.”

Ali, who grew up with foster parents, quit school last year. According to Lattiff, they were never in agreement with the relationship and tried on many occasions to stop it. “The girl use to get away and go and meet him. She keep getting away. She was stubborn,” said the woman, who believes she did what she could have done to prevent the teenager from getting sexually involved with an adult.

Persaud was described as a labourer who did odd jobs in the community. His father died two weeks ago and his mother lives in Trinidad. Persaud’s uncle said that messages in Persaud’s cellular phone indicated that he sent text messages to his mother on Tuesday evening indicating that he was going to take his own life. Messages sent to his mother from the same phone on Wednesday morning around 05:00h read: “I love you, Mum.”