| Diane
Naipaul |
Dear friends
in Christ,
This young girl is the niece of my Uncle's wife. Prayers were
offered for about 6 hours each night for her safe return. I was
away from home and only found out after the fact. Please join
us in thanksgiving.
$300,000 demanded for
snatched teen
A 13-year-old Tunapuna girl was snatched as she
left home and headed to a video rental store near her home on
Wednesday evening. A source said yesterday that a ransom of $300,000
had been demanded for the safe release of Eva Alexander, a Form
Three student of Providence Girls’ Secondary School in Belmont,
Port-of-Spain. Her family reportedly owns a small grocery. The
abduction came a mere three hours after Police Commissioner Trevor
Paul said in a news conference at his office that kidnappings
for ransom had decreased significantly. According to reports,
Alexander was on her way to The View dvd Club, at the corner of
St Cecelia Street and Eastern Main Road, Tunapuna, around 5.30
pm, when she disappeared. Her mother, Emily Delpino, made a report
to Tunapuna Police Station. Delpino returned home shortly afterwards,
and received a message from a relative who had received the call
saying that Alexander had been kidnapped. When the Guardian visited
the girl’s home yesterday, one relative emerged and said: “This
is not the Alexander residence. You have the wrong house.” (It
is actually not the Alexander residence, but the home of her Uncle).
This was despite confirmation by neighbours that the house was,
in fact, the home of the victim and that Eva lived there.
The Anti-Kidnapping Squad is investigating.
Probe continues into 13-year-old
girl’s abduction
Relatives of 13-year-old kidnap victim Eva Alexander
are hopeful the young student will soon be reunited with them.
Three men in Tunapuna abducted Alexander, a Third Form student
of Providence Girls’ Secondary School, in Belmont, Port-of-Spain,
on Wednesday. Police say Alexander was snatched while on her way
to The View dvd Club, at the corner of St Cecelia Street and Eastern
Main Road. Relatives refused to talk to the media, yesterday.
A close family friend, speaking on the condition of anonymity,
said the girl’s relatives would not be communicating with the
media because they do not want to endanger her life. The friend
said the family remains hopeful that Alexander will return to
them safe and unhurt. When the Guardian visited the family’s business
place located at the corner of King and Abercromby Streets in
St Joseph, it was closed. Alexander’s family reportedly owns Delpino’s,
a small grocery. According to police reports, a few hours after
Alexander’s abduction, her mother Emily Delpino, received a ransom
demand of $300,000 for her safe release. Anti-Kidnapping Squad
officers are continuing investigations. (DR)
Kidnapped teen in daring
escape
Schoolgirl, 14, takes advantage of 1 am discord
among abductors and runs to San Juan Fire Station. BY
INDARJIT SEURAJ
Kidnapped schoolgirl Eva Alexander made a daring
escape from her abductors early yesterday morning. Relatives said
the Form Three student of Providence Girls’ Secondary School in
Belmont, Port-of-Spain, reportedly ran to San Juan Fire Station,
on the Eastern Main Road, around 1.05 am, and told attendants
there that she had just escaped from her abductors.
A radio report said Alexander’s escape coincided with a quarrel
among the kidnappers and an exchange of gunfire. Other reports
said Alexander told relatives her kidnappers had left her in a
car, which was parked, on Saddle Road, Croissee, San Juan, when
she decided to make a dash for freedom towards the fire station.
Officers at the fire station then alerted San Juan Police Station,
the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and Alexander’s relatives.
Fire Service’s public relations officer, John Springle, confirmed
in a telephone interview that two entries had been made in the
logbook at the San Juan station. One was made when Alexander went
to the station and the other 20 minutes later, when a police jeep
arrived to pick her up. Springle said his officers had contacted
the police “immediately.” When the Guardian visited Alexander’s
home on Sealy Street in Tunapuna, yesterday, officers had only
just taken the 14-year-old for a medical check-up at hospital.
Alexander’s uncle, who wished to be identified only as Mr Delpino,
expressed the relief he felt after her escape. “Well, I am very
happy about it. It was a few stressful days.” He said his niece
had not been harmed and only bore bruises on her hands and feet,
where she had been bound. Relatives also said that no ransom had
been paid to the kidnappers, although they (the abductors) had
reportedly made a demand of $300,000 for the girl’s safe release.
“She (Alexander’s mother) don’t have that kind of money,” a relative
who wished to remain anonymous said. “She is a poor woman trying
to mind her two children,” he added. Alexander’s mother, Emily
Delpino, owns a small supermarket in St Joseph. Delpino’s Supermarket,
which remained closed since the girl’s abduction last Wednesday.
A relative said they would re-open later this week. Neither Alexander
nor her mother could be reached for comment. According to reports,
Alexander was on her way to The View dvd Club, at the corner of
St Cecelia Street and Eastern Main Road, Tunapuna, around 5.30
pm, last Wednesday, when she disappeared. Her mother made a report
to Tunapuna Police Station and returned home, shortly afterwards,
to get a message from a relative, who had received the call saying
that Alexander had been kidnapped.
In Christ,
Diane |
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