“Two of My Children Are Gone”: Single Mother Mourns Double Loss as Families Gather in Anguish at Charity Waterfront
By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|
CHARITY, ESSEQUIBO COAST — The heartbreak surrounding the fatal capsizing of the state-operated M.V. Barima continues to deepen as grieving families gather daily at the Charity River Dam staging site along the Essequibo Coast. Relatives face the agonizing task of identifying recovered bodies while holding onto fading hope for those still listed as missing.
Among those waiting at the waterfront is Samantha Ramitt, a single mother of three. Her family’s journey aboard the 87-year-old ferry ended in unimaginable tragedy: while her elderly mother and 11-year-old son managed to survive, four children in her immediate group perished—including Ramitt’s young daughter, her infant son, and two of her nieces.
Unbearable Grief at the Staging Docks
Rushing to Charity immediately after receiving reports that the ferry had gone down late Saturday night, Ramitt recalled the emotional moment she located her surviving 11-year-old son.
[ TRAGEDY WITHIN A SINGLE FAMILY ]
│
┌─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼
[ SURVIVORS ] [ VICTIMS ]
- Samantha Ramitt (Mother) - Infant Son (Deceased)
- 11-Year-Old Son - Young Daughter (Deceased)
- Elderly Grandmother - Two Nieces (Deceased)
“I just held onto him and squeezed him,” Ramitt recalled through tears. “To know that my 11-year-old survived, but my little daughter and my baby boy are gone… two of my three children are gone just like that.”
The Search for Missing Loved Ones Continues
For other families, the waiting process remains trapped in uncertain anguish. Kemon Benn, who traveled to Charity to assist with body identifications, confirmed she was able to positively identify the body of her 47-year-old sister, Marcia Beharry. However, Benn and her family remain on the riverbank searching for her missing 10-year-old nephew, Jason Headley.
| Family / Relative | Status / Location | Outcome / Detail |
| Samantha Ramitt | Single mother of three | Lost infant son, daughter, and two nieces; 11-year-old son survived. |
| Marcia Beharry (47) | Deceased passenger | Positively identified by sister at Charity/Suddie facility. |
| Jason Headley (10) | Unaccounted for | Active search ongoing along Essequibo/Waini recovery sectors. |
Recovery Metrics and Staging Operations
As search teams—comprising the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard, local fisherfolk, and international dive teams—continue scanning over 2,100 square kilometers extending toward Waini Point, recovered remains are being transferred directly to police custody at the Charity River Dam before transport to Suddie Hospital for formal family identification.
With national flags flying at half-mast during the observed period of national mourning, the waterfront at Charity remains a place of quiet grief, prayer, and persistent demands for systemic accountability.
