http://www.guardian.co.tt/news1.htmlThe quiet community of Ravine Sable, Longdenville, remained in shock last night after a truck driver reportedly fed his two children a meal of stewed meat and dumplings laced with poison.
He then committed suicide.
The children—Sara Sieuchand, 11, and her ten-year-old brother Sean—were up to late yesterday in stable condition at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope.
Police said they believed the children’s father, Sharma “Keith” Sieuchand, 42, might have drunk Lanate, an agricultural insecticide. But his family and relatives say he may have taken a drug overdose.
Police believe the incident took place some time Saturday night.
The children’s mother, Atwaria, left the house several weeks ago after obtaining a restraining order against Sieuchand.
Sieuchand’s mother, Chanardai, 62, said Atwaria had been a victim of physical and verbal abuse. She said her son used to beat Atwaria constantly after smoking cocaine.
A neighbour, who asked not be identified, said Sean ran into a woman’s yard around 6.45 am yesterday.
The neighbour said Sean was shaken and had several bruises about the body. The man said residents thought Sean had been badly beaten, and decided to go into the house to see what had happened.
They found Sara lying next to her father on a mattress on the floor. There were bruises about her arms and legs.
Villagers called the police, who arrived shortly afterwards.
Sieuchand was already dead.
Police took the children to the Chaguanas Health Centre.
They were then transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Science Complex.
A villager, who requested anonymity, said Sieuchand had threatened to kill his wife and children several times.
“Sieuchand used to walk around threatening to kill himself and his children,” the villager said.
“I hear him saying, ‘When I going, I killing them…I not leaving nobody behind.’”
Villagers said Sean and Sara, both students of Longdenville Government School, were doing well in their studies. Sara was awaiting results of the SEA, while Sean had won several medals for academic performance.
Chanardai, who wept as undertakers removed her son’s body, said he had repeatedly spoken of killing himself and his wife.
The couple was married last year after living together for several years. Atwaria has six children from a previous marriage.
Junior Rattansingh, Sieuchand’s landlord, said he last saw him (Sieuchand) on Saturday. He said Sieuchand also offered him a meal.
“The man stop me and ask me to eat…Good thing I don’t eat food from anybody,” he said.
“After this experience, I am not eating any food on the outside ever again. Suppose I was poisoned?”
Police said the stewed meat and dumplings that were left back would be sent for testing.
Investigators said within the last three months three restraining orders had been served on Sieuchand. They said he had been warned several times.
It was only on March 24 that the bodies Hemraj Sookai, 49, and his four-year-old son Kennedy Sean Deolal were discovered in the family’s house in Caroni. Police believe Sookhai forced his son to drink Lanate.
—With reporting by Adrian Boodan
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Such a serious disparity between the “have and have-not” in Trinidad. Last week they featured a f**kin rich boy who catch a big Marlin and owe he going to a private school and he parents is big-shut lawyers…..now to read this ..
