Autopsy suggests foul play in teen’s death at Madewini Creek

Relatives of Vishaul “Ryan” Ram, who initial reports had said died from drowning, now believe that foul play was involved in his death.

A post-mortem examination, Moneshwar Ram told Stabroek News yesterday, revealed that his son died from multiple blunt trauma and strangulation. Moneshwar does not believe that his son’s death was accidental and he is hopeful that police will be able to provide him with some justice. “He (Ram) was my only son and if nothing don’t come of this story, then I might as well die,” Moneshwar said.

Last Sunday night, Vishaul was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Initial reports reaching this newspaper had said that the 17-year-old was last seen plunging from the bridge above the first creek along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.

Vishaul Ram

Moneshwar explained that he was satisfied with the efforts police were making with investigating the matter. He further said that he did not want to make the details of the case public for risk of jeopardising the police investigation. “You see the report in one of the newspapers,” Moneshwar said referring to and article in the Wednesday edition of the Kaieteur News. “It said that he get stab. He didn’t get stabbed. But take for instance if it was true and the person who do it read it, then is get away they going to get away,” he said.

Investigators, according to Moneshwar, are working on several leads.

Meanwhile, an aunt of the deceased told this newspaper that since the incident relatives have been hearing conflicting accounts of what happened to Vishaul. “One time we hearing how is plunge, he plunge, from a high bridge and then next thing you hear is that he was in a fight,” the woman said. “People have been calling us and talking to Ryan mother and telling her all kind of thing…right now no one is really in a position to talk about what really happen there.”

Vishaul’s mother, the woman said, was present at the creek that day. However, due to a health problem, the woman was not near the water because of the crowd and noise.
The circumstances leading to the death of Vishaul are still uncertain. One account of what happened at the creek that day alleges that Vishaul had been plunging into the water from the bridge above the water source. He was last seen by some persons plunging into the water. After some time went by, the teen was not in sight and friends and relatives immediately started searching for him.

Another account alleges that Vishaul was involved in an altercation with a group of men after he “troubled” a girlfriend of one. However, relatives did not witness this alleged altercation and said they did not want to repeat “hearsay.”