Tensions soared at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday, as a mother was forced to defend her dead daughter?s name after reports surfaced that the girl was involved in a taboo relationship with a 24-year-old man.
By Denyse RenneMeera Narinesingh and Sheila Sudama, mother and aunt of Kimberly Stephanie Narinesingh, yesterday vented their anger at the family of Jairam Baldeo at the facility.
However, while Meera said her daughter was kidnapped and murdered, Sundar and Roopshan Baldeo, Jairam?s brothers, said he used to lime with the family (Narinesingh) and they were friends.
?He was helping them build a house and used to spend days by them,? Sundar said.
?We did not bother to say anything because we know they are good friends and neighbours.?
He said he last saw his brother alive on Friday, and on Sunday, he saw a taxi driver wearing his brother?s chain and asked the driver where he got it.
?The driver said he had dropped Jairam off in Toco with a girl and he safe,? Sundar said.
?Next thing I hear, a coconut man find the bodies.
?They are saying the girl was kidnapped. That is not true.
?He was threatened by the family and I believe they were both scared to return home.
?The family is just looking for an excuse because it looking bad that their child was friendly with a 24-year-old man.?
Sundar said his brother was quiet, loving and a hard worker who liked to dress nice.
He said Baldeo was warned on many occasions by their mother to stay away from the family.
?We told him to be careful,? he said.
Kyle Frank, a friend of Baldeo?s, said he last spoke with him two Fridays ago and he continuously told him he was in love with the girl and cried while saying this.
?I told him to reconsider, since the girl was young,? Frank said.
He said he got the impression that Narinesingh was also in love with Baldeo.
Frank said emotions would run high and people would say things.
However, he said he felt their eventual deaths was due to the failure of both of their parents to deal with the situation properly.
?He was always going out with the daughter. The parents are to be blamed for the shortcomings. It is a sad story,? Frank said.
A teary-eyed Sudama said her niece went to a nearby parlour to buy a cake, when a car pulled alongside and someone grabbed her.
?She is a baby who just passed SEA exam for Sangre Grande Junior Secondary,? Sudama said.
However, Narinesingh said Baldeo only wanted to hurt the family since there was a feud taking place involving a piece of land.
?He wanted to hurt the family and he succeeded. He took the young one,? Narinesingh said.
?She was looking forward to attending school next week. Near three quarter of her school stuff were bought.?
She denied that her daughter and Baldeo had a relationship and they went out several times.
Narinesingh said her daughter would always be remembered as ?a very nice, friendly and loving child who liked to care for little children.?
Cpl Everton Leandre of the Toco Police Station is continuing investigations.
The funerals of the deceased will take place today.
Baldeo will be cremated at the Caroni cremation site, while Narinesingh?s funeral will be held in San Juan.
?Girl sexually active?
Autopsies performed on the bodies of Jairam Baldeo and Kimberly Stephanie Narinesingh yesterday showed Baldeo died as a result of ingesting a poisonous substance, while the Narinesingh?s death remained inconclusive.
However, pathologist Yvonne Borris also concluded from autopsy that Narinesingh was sexually active.
Semen was also found in her vagina.
Swabs were taken from her body for further analysis.
He told me she was his sister - driver
A taxi driver told the Guardian yesterday that he was paid $200 to take 24-year-old Jairam Baldeo and 11-year-old Kimberly Stephanie Naringhsingh on their suicide journey to Toco.
However, he said he was told that the girl was Baldeo?s sister.
The driver, who did not want to be named, said he knew Baldeo personally, since they had had drinks on several occasions.
He said that on Saturday, he was hired by Baldeo to pick up a girl whom he (Baldeo) said was his sister.
?He told me they were going to visit family in Toco,? the driver said.
?The girl sat in the back seat and he was sitting on the passenger side and we were talking and listening to ole school music. The girl was quiet.?
He said Baldeo was not looking depressed and talked as normal.
The driver said he saw the trip as just a job and eventually dropped off the couple at the Toco lighthouse and left to ?pick up another trip? on his way back.
Both Naringhsingh and Baldeo were found dead by a coconut vendor in a forested area at Galera Road,Toco, on Monday.
Police found a bottle with a liquid substance and a knife next to the bodies.
At the time of discovery the bodies were lying one on top the other.
