Death of burnt, chained-in-bed child 'inevitable'
By Michel Outridge

Six of the seven of Geeta's siblings yesterday under the tent.

For Geeta Bissessar, 9, of South Le Ressouvenir Pasture, East Coast Demerara, her doom was inevitable.

So said relatives and neighbours yesterday.

Geeta was constantly chained to the bed and left home alone while her father went to work and her other siblings were at school.

Yesterday, when the Guyana Chronicle visited the area, the seven homeless children whose ages range from 5 to 18 were seated under a tent erected by several villagers. They said the tent is now their home, for they have no where else to go.

A pot of food was also boiling on a makeshift fireside and several kitchen utensils were evident on a wooden crate.

The utensils were donated by residents in the area. A public spirited citizen visited the burnt out structure and donated clothing to the children.

She said she read the story in the newspapers and came to see what assistance she could render to the children.

The utensils that was donated to the Bissessar family.

The woman related that she was very touched by the story of their loss.

Several female residents were present preparing a meal for the children while their father was out making funeral arrangements for his daughter.

"We glad if people can come forward and give help to these children because dem father does try but now dem na gat nothing. We helping, but they need a roof over their head," said a neighbour.

The children are presently living under a tent just outside of their burnt out home. The two-bedroom building that was once their home was said to be over 100 years' old.

The pot boiling with the children and several residents yesterday at the burnt site. The remains of the bed that Geeta was left chained on.

A relative said the children's mother died about three years ago. Since then, their father has been working extra hard, doing odd jobs to send the children to school.

Geeta was described as a very strong-willed child who refused to attend school and because of her mental condition was in the habit of leaving home.

Her charred remains were retrieved from under the rubble after the fire, about 1:30 pm on Monday afternoon.

According to a relative, Geeta was burnt beyond recognition while still chained to the bed. Yesterday only the frames of two beds were evident among the rubble.

According to residents, they noticed thick smoke coming from the direction of the Bissessar's residence but did not know that a fire was in process.

The origin of the fire is sheer mystery as no one could give an account of how the fire started and what could have possibly caused the fire.

Many residents yesterday stared in horror as they viewed the remains of the destroyed house. Some could not believe that Geeta was burnt alive in the house.

The police are continuing investigations.

 

Battered body found at Mocha
The battered body of an East Indian man was early yesterday morning discovered wrapped in a sheet and dumped along the Mocha public road.

The body of the man, who appeared to be in his mid-thirties, was clad in a red T-shirt and a pair of short pants. He wore no shoes.

Reports say that a knife was found a short distance away from the man's body.

At press time the corpse was lying at Lyken Funeral Parlour, waiting to be identified.

Meanwhile, relatives of the missing taxi driver, on receiving the news of the horrific discovery, hurried down to the funeral parlour but confirmed that the body was not that of their loved one, 20 year old Vivekanand Nandddalall.

 

October 29, 2003