Ex-guard drowns after falling into drain

The body of an epileptic resident of No. 28 Village, West Coast Berbice, was discovered in a drain close to his home, where he is believed to have drowned yesterday.

Patrick Sears, 55, a retired guard, was riding his bicycle along the street when he is believed to have slipped into the drain and drowned. His bicycle was covered in the drain and his body was face down on top of it.

Sears’ nephew, Kenrick Paul, a construction worker in the area, was on his way home for lunch around 12:45pm along with another person when he spotted what looked like clothing in the drain. He said he decided to “pull the clothes” and lifted up the body and he realised that it was that of his uncle. He immediately contacted the police. Other relatives were also alerted and they assisted the police in retrieving the body.

Patrick Sears

When this newspaper arrived at the scene the body was already pulled out and lying on the parapet. The bicycle was braced at the edge of the drain. A crowd had also gathered as word spread about the man’s demise.

The man’s daughter, Odetta, later said she learnt that Sears had gone “on the road” and was returning home when tragedy struck. Sears was carrying a black bag on the cycle that had a wallet with an old ID card, among other things. He lived with his two sons, Clayroy, 23, who left on Wednesday to go to the Corentyne and Dorwin, also in his 20s, who currently works in the interior and returned there last week.

Sears’ bicycle at the edge of the drain