Woman found dead at Vreed-en-Hoop died by drowning – post-mortem

Patricia Amanda Ronald, the woman whose partially decomposed body was found on a dam at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD) during last week, died from drowning, according to the results of an autopsy.

The dead woman sister, Dianna Ronald yesterday confirmed the findings with Stabroek News. She said the autopsy was conducted on Monday and Patricia was laid to rest on Tuesday.

Dianna said although the family had initially suspected foul play, they are now trying to convince themselves of the manner in which Patricia died based on the autopsy report.

Patricia Amanda Ronald

The body of Ronald called ‘Patsy’, 49, of Lot 5 Crane Housing Scheme, WCD was discovered on a dam in Vreed-en-Hoop around 7:30am two Tuesdays ago.

Two days after the discovery, she was positively identified by Dianna, who had visited the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station to make a missing person’s report.

Dianna had previously told Stabroek News that last Thursday morning while she was making the report, she was shown a photograph of a woman by a police officer and later identified the person in the photo as her sister based on the clothing she was wearing.

She had related that Patricia was a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Psychiatric Clinic for the past 20 years.

Dianna had said that she last saw her sister alive two Sundays ago when she noticed her leaving home. “I see she did leaving home Sunday morning while I did washing, so I ask she where she going and she tell me she going by Tricia, a lady she does clean for in town,” Dianna had explained.

“When Sunday night pass and I see she ain’t come, I say she mussy ain’t done she work that is why she ain’t come yet. But when Monday pass I seh something got to be wrong.”

Dianna then decided to contact another sister who resides in Georgetown. She said she asked that sister to call Tricia and enquire about Patricia. “I don’t know Tricia, I does just hear about her through Patsy. Is the other sister know her, so I ask her to call Tricia and find out if Patsy went there or not,” she said. “Is when my sister call then she hear that Tricia ain’t went home on Sunday because she house was under repair but Tricia neighbours tell her that Patsy indeed went there and they tell she Tricia ain’t home and she left.”

She said to date the family is unaware of what transpired after this.