West Demerara teens in suicide pact

The lifeless bodies of two teenagers whose intention to wed was met with parental disapproval, were found hanging in an abandoned house at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara (WCD) yesterday morning.

Dead are Avinash Persaud, 18, a mini-bus conductor of Greenwich Park, East Bank Essequibo and his girlfriend, Kaymattie Hussein, 17, a waitress, of Cornelia Ida, WCD. The bodies were found in an abandoned house at Uitvlugt Pasture, which is owned by Persaud’s relatives. Persaud had left his home about five days ago and in the following days, relatives had combed the West Coast for him.

Avinash Persaud

Police said that the bodies were found at 6am yesterday. “Investigations so far have revealed that Avinash Persaud and Kaymattie Hussein shared a relationship but there were parental disagreements. They were last seen at their respective homes on Monday and Sunday last, respectively”, the police said. Post-mortem examinations are expected to be done shortly as the investigations continue.

Commander of ‘D’ Division Balram Persaud said that the teenagers were in an apparent relationship and wanted to be married but this was opposed by relatives.

At Uitvlugt Pasture, Samuel Khemraj, a cousin of Persaud said that neighbours alerted him that the house had been broken into and upon checking the bodies were found hanging from a beam. A neighbour called the police.

The house where the bodies were found.

Sheets were used for the hanging and Persaud was shirtless.  Persaud’s brother, Rovin Persaud told reporters that they had been searching for his younger brother for the past five days after he did not return home. He said that he did not know why he would commit suicide. He said that the family received the news about 7:30am yesterday when a friend of his mother’s called. At Hussein’s home, no one was present when this newspaper visited.