As Brandon and Darion Roopnarine bid farewell to their parents Kimchan Roopnarine and Patricia Ali today, police continue their search for a 35-year-old labourer who was said to be the driver of the car that ended the couple’s lives.
The suspect’s girlfriend, who is the owner of the Nissan Tiida that ploughed into the couple on Sunday night, remained in the custody of Penal police up to last night. Her car was also impounded at the station. Investigators were trying to corroborate her story that she was not the driver of the car when Roopnarine and Ali were killed while walking along the Penal Rock Road, Penal.
Investigators were told that the 44-year-old teacher had lent the car to her boyfriend on Sunday and following the incident he returned the car to her. After being told about the incident, investigators said the woman attempted to take the car to a straightener for repairs. When Penal CID officers got word of the woman’s action, Sgt Ramsaran, WPC Deonath and PC Lewis sought her out and arrested her. So far, the boyfriend has not attempted to contact her.
On Sunday, Kimchan, Patricia and the boys had just left relatives’ home around 9.30 pm when the accident happened. The boys ran to their cousin Suedath Roopnarine’s home, but when he reached the mangled bodies, Kimchan was already dead and Patricia was attempting to take her last breaths. Roopnarine said counsellors and community police officers visited the boys at his home yesterday.
He said Brandon’s birth mother is alive and he fears the brothers will be split up at a time when he feels they need each other more.
He said relatives are hopeful that with the car owner’s arrest they will get justice for his cousin’s deaths. The funeral will be held today at the family’s house from 2 pm.