A family is hoping for the safe return of a missing 92-year-old Canada-based woman, whom it is suspected may have been brought to Guyana against her will.
Police in Canada are seeking to locate Jasmattie Mohan Basdeo and her son, Mahandranauth Basdeo, 72, who were both last seen on August 31st.
According to Rajendra Basdeo, a grandson of the missing woman who also resides in Canada, both his grandmother and uncle went missing during the family’s move to a new apartment at Benny Avenue in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Montreal.
Rajendra, who spoke to Sunday Stabroek via telephone, explained that both his grandmother and uncle had been residing together with his mother at an apartment that was located a short distance away from the new one. As a result, he said, on the day of the move, he was travelling between the two locations when the woman reportedly disappeared.
“The second time I went over there, my uncle was there. I left to go back to the old apartment but when I came back they were gone,” the younger Basdeo said.
Surveillance footage later retrieved showed the two entering a grey Prius taxi just after noon on the same day.
Rajendra said the family is especially concerned for the missing woman’s wellbeing since all her medication, including prescriptions for a heart condition, were left behind.
Rajendra shared his belief that his uncle might have coerced the woman into traveling to Guyana as a similar incident had taken place last year with assistance from another son of the missing woman.
The young Basdeo explained that though his grandmother has been living in Canada since the 1960s, she would regularly travel to Guyana, where they have family in Berbice. “This uncle and another one had taken her to Guyana last year, without her medication as well and by time we were able to get her back to Canada, she had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment,” the grandson said.
A report has since been lodged with the Montreal Police and according to the woman’s grandson, authorities are checking with immigration in Guyana to determine whether his grandmother and uncle left for Guyana.
Police in Montreal have issued a statement asking persons to be on the lookout for Jasmattie Mohan Basdeo, who stands at four feet, eleven inches tall and weighs 80 pounds. She has brown eyes, white hair and was last seen wearing a red toque, a white t-shirt and pants.
According to the description given for Mahandranauth, he stands at five feet, six inches in height, weighs 120 pounds and has grey hair and brown eyes.
