A 14-year-old boy from Corentyne is feared drowned after reportedly disappearing in the Corentyne River while swimming with friends on Monday.
Missing is Daveanand Balram, of Number 60 Village, Corentyne, who had dropped out of school and was working as a labourer.
His mother, 32-year-old Gayatree Rambhajan, said the last time she spoke with her son was on 2 July, after which she received no further contact from him.
She said she received a phone call at around 2:00pm on Monday informing her that her son had drowned.
“The person said my son drowned. I asked if they were sure, but the person cut off the phone. Then my husband called and asked if I had heard that our son drowned. I didn’t believe it at first, but then family members started calling and telling me the same thing,” she recalled.
Rambhajan said she was told that Daveanand had gone to the Back Track area in Corriverton with a group of boys to learn to swim in the Corentyne River. She said he got into difficulty in the water and held onto a piece of wood while one of the boys went to seek help, but by the time help arrived, he could not be found.
Family members searched the area from Monday evening into Tuesday without success, Rambhajan said, adding that the search had since stopped because she did not have a boat to continue.
“I went to the station to find out, and the CID [rank] told me to come out and see if I can search in the meantime,” she said.
She is appealing to members of the public, particularly boat owners, to assist in the search for her son, describing him as a caring person.
Police investigations are ongoing.
