HGP Nightly News – A two-year-old girl has died after wandering from her family home and drowning in the Pomeroon River, leaving a small community in mourning and a mother grappling with unthinkable loss.
Samirah Evans, of Kabakaburi Mission in the Upper Pomeroon River, was last seen alive around midday on Saturday. Her body was recovered approximately five hours later, floating roughly one mile from where she was last known to be.
According to information provided to police, the child’s mother, Shenella Jacobus, was washing clothes at the back of the family home when Samirah began to cry. Jacobus stopped to breastfeed the toddler before returning to her chores, leaving the child in the kitchen area.
Some time later, while hanging clothes in the yard, Jacobus called out for Samirah and received no response. A search of the house and surrounding area proved unsuccessful.
The mother then went to a nearby landing area, approximately 300 feet from the home, where she discovered the underwear Samirah had been wearing.
An alarm was raised, prompting an immediate search by relatives and community members. Despite their efforts, the child could not be located.
Later that afternoon, police officers from the Charity Police Station, who were already in the Pomeroon River, joined the search operation. They combed the landing area, surrounding premises, and nearby trenches.
Shortly before 5:30 p.m., a resident of Warapana—who had joined the search party—found Samirah’s body floating in the vicinity of Warapana, approximately one mile from the Kabakaburi Mission landing.
The child was clad only in a diaper. Police observed what appeared to be fish bites on her right foot and face.
Her body was taken to Charity Farmers’ wharf before being escorted to Oscar Joseph Public Hospital, where a doctor officially pronounced her dead.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
Investigations remain ongoing.
