In two incidents yesterday, two families had to be separated by police after scuffles took place over the bodies of their loved one at the Forensic Science Centre, St james.
One of the two fights took place in the car park of the centre between the mother of Keron Warrican and his wife Salisha Khan.
Warrican’s mother attacked her daughter-in-law moments after learning she had signed off on taking her son’s body away for burial. Two male police officers had to separate the women and caution Warrican’s mother who began cursing.
The older woman threatened that Khan would “see hell” for her actions since she was the one who assisted the family whenever they were in need.
After being spoken to by the lawmen and venting some more as she drove away in a gold Nissan Tida, she returned. Police took her and Khan inside the Forensic Science Centre for close to one hour before the two officers took Khan home.
Khan told the media her husband and father of three of her children was a man who kept to himself and loved his job.
She added that both she and her mother-in-law had reached an agreement concerning the funeral arrangements and the confusion was over.
Warrican of Mc Bean Village, Couva, was standing outside the Amnesia nightclub on the Caroni Savannah Road, Charlieville, at 4 am on Saturday when a driver ran him over with his car.
Two police officers—PC Rakesh Ramcharitar and PC Darren Peack—were also injured when the driver knocked both of them down as well. Warrican, 31, died while being treated at the Eric Williams Medical Science Complex.
The driver only stopped after he was shot in the leg by a third officer who he also tried to knock down in a bid to escape.
In the second scuffle, police officers again had to separate two women who were arguing over the body of murdered security officer Anthony Joseph.
Eyewitnesses said the women—Joan Cook and another unidentified relative—had a falling out after Cook, Joseph’s common-law wife, wanted to claim his body. Relatives said Cook and Joseph had an “on-again, off-again” relationship. Similar to Warrican’s case after police intervention, Cook was allowed to claim the body.
Witnesses told the media Cook was placed in a headlock by another woman after she arrived at the centre.
Relatives were heard saying the woman was unfaithful to Joseph and did not deserve the privilege of burying him. Other relatives were further angered by the fact that Cook showed up with a male relative.
Throughout the day police were seen speaking to Joseph’s relatives, trying to maintain peace and order.
Speaking to the media outside the centre after the melee, Joseph’s sister, Syona Joseph-De La Rosa, said her brother was very dedicated to his job which he held for 36 years with Amalgamated Security Services Limited.
She added that her brother was so dedicated that even on his off day he wold respond to calls, leaving his then wife and rushing to where he was needed.
It was that dedication that cost him his life, his daughter said, as he was not scheduled to work Sunday but responded to an alarm at Berger Paints, Sea Lots.
According to a police report at about 3.30 pm Sunday after the alarm was triggered two Amalgamated Security Services Ltd guards—Joseph and Franklin Edwards—responded.
Joseph was ambushed and shot in the head while Edwards was shot in the leg. The bandits who had been trying to break into the warehouse escaped.