A Mafeking woman, who was the only survivor in a car crash which killed four people two years ago, was found dead on her bed with her face covered by a garbage bag yesterday.
Sewhroni Mohan, 38, of Mafeking Village, Mayaro, who only two weeks ago returned to her husband’s home at Mafeking, was discovered dead by husband Dave Rampersad around 10.30 am on his return from work.
Police reported that the couple woke up around 5 am and drank coffee together before Mohan packed Rampersad’s lunch and he left at 6 am for work.
Rampersad told police that on his return home around 10.30 am, he found his wife lying on their bed with her face covered with a black garbage bag. He said he told his wife “girl stop making this kind of joke,” but when he removed the bag from her face he realised she was dead.
Rampersad said he called a neighbour who attends their church and told him about his discovery. The neighbour then called the Mayaro police.
Supt Phillip, Insp Mahabir, Sgts Gadar and Ramsahai, Cpl Maharaj and PCs Rampersad and Flores of Eastern Division responded. Police cordoned off the area for Homicide officers to process the scene.
Neighbour Bernard Brizan told T&T Guardian he spoke with Mohan on Wednesday night. He said when he heard of her death he was stunned because he did not see anyone around the house or hear any noise.
“I am shocked to hear a respectable, church-going woman dead with a plastic bag over her face. She will be missed,” he said.
Members of community’s Jehovah Witness church told the T&T Guardian Mohan was in church on Wednesday night and they prayed together. They said a family problem was also recently resolved by heads of the church.
The church members, who did not want to be identified, dismissed the speculation that she committed suicide.
“This lady gave her life to Jehovah after she survived an accident where four people died and she was the only one that was saved,” one of them said.
Her brother-in-law David Rampersad, who lives not to far from her, said he was awakened by police sirens and on enquiring what had brought them to the community could not believe it was his sister-in-law’s death. He said he was happy to see she had returned after reconciling her marriage, adding she was a “pleasant, caring, respectable” woman.
Police officers were told the couple had gone through some marital problems and Mohan had packed her clothes and decided to return to her mother’s home. However, police were further told that church members had helped them resolve those issues and she returned to the marital home.
District Medical Officer Dr Patrick viewed the body and ordered its removal to the Sangre Grande District Hospital, from where it will be taken to the Forensic Sciences Centre, St James, today for an autopsy. Police believe she was suffocated.
In November of 2015, Mohan was heading to a service with other church members when the car in which they were travelling collided with a truck along the Naparima/Mayaro Road. She was the only survivor from the car.
A relative has been detained by police and was assisting them with their investigation up to last night.
Sgt Ramsahai of the Homicide Region III is continuing investigation.
Two other men were also killed in separate instances yesterday.
In the first instance, 36-year-old Nestor Cuffy was found shot to death outside his La Rue Pompe, Maracas, St Joseph home around 1 am. He was shot 14 times.
Police said they had no motive for his murder and residents reported hearing gunshots before finding his body.
At the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday, a relative said the family was not in a position to speak about Cuffy’s killing.
In the other incident, Rennie Andrews, 22, was found dead in a ditch around 6.30 am. Police said Andrews was found by a labourer on his way to work along Quarry Road, Esperanza Village, Couva. The labourer contacted the Couva Police Station. Andrews was shot once in the back of the head.
The murder toll stood at 199 up to last evening.
