Joy turned to sorrow for a Couva family after a nine-year-old child was killed in a crash which left his mother and sister injured as they returned home from a wedding in Chaguanas on Boxing Night.
Tyler Edwards, a Standard Three student of Carapichaima RC Primary School died after being thrown out of a black Nissan Navara around 7.30 pm.
His mother, Antoinette Diamond Edwards and sister Tamiya Edwards, 14, a student of Miracle Ministries High School remained warded at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex last night. Police said Tamiya suffered head injuries and was expected to undergo a CT-scan yesterday, while Antoinette suffered injuries to her limbs.
Police said the family of Orange Valley Road, Couva were heading south along Perseverance Road, Chaguanas after attending a wedding at Chaguanas Community Centre when tragedy struck.
Investigators said they were passengers in a Nissan Navarra driven by Antoinette’s friend, Oba Bruce, of Richard Lane, Enterprise Street. On reaching the Caparo Bridge, Bruce collided with a Nissan Integra driven by a man of Connector Road, Chaguanas.
Tyler was thrown out of the vehicle and landed on the river bank. He died on the spot.
In an interview yesterday, Antoinette’s best friend, Cindy Bandoo, said she was at home when Antoinette called her crying uncontrollably.
“She seemed delirious like she didn’t know what she was saying. She told me that she wanted me to bring Tyler back to her because they were in an accident and she was not seeing him. Then she told me that he passed,” Bandoo said.
She said Tyler got a remote-controlled van for Christmas and was excited about the new year.
“He came over and my sons were playing with him. They played football on Boxing Day and then they left to get dressed for the wedding,” Bandoo said. She said that the family stopped at Saith Park, Chaguanas to take photographs before reaching the wedding.
Tyler’s death brings to 112, the number of people who died for 2017. This represents a decrease from last year’s figure of 135.