A 38-year-old woman and her two-year-old grandson drowned in the lower Pomeroon River following misconduct around midnight on Friday.
The dead woman has been identified as Agatha Gill, wife of the Friendship Canal house, Lower Pomeroon River. The child’s name was not given by police, who stated he lived at the same address.
According to reports, the incident happened sometime between 23: 30h and midnight on Friday.
Police said Gill and her husband left home Friday night to drink alcohol with some friends in Burn Bush, Lower Pomeroon River, and that their grandson was with them.
Returning home, the heavily intoxicated man told investigators that as he entered the Friendship Canal, a coconut press struck the engine propelor of his wooden balahoo and lost control of the engine handle, which caused him to the boat hit the left bank of the river. This led to the boat capsizing and trapping his wife and grandson underneath.
The man was involved in trying to pull his wife and grandson under the boat but his efforts were futile.
Then he called for help, and a group of public-spirited citizens came to his rescue to help turn the boat over and after that the man managed to pull his wife and grandchildren underneath. They were both in an unconscious state.
The 42-year-old was then assisted by another person to rush the woman and toddler to Oscar Joseph District Hospital, where they were examined by a Doctor on duty and pronounced dead on arrival.
The bodies of the deceased were then escorted to the Suddie Public Hospital Mortuary awaiting Post Mortem Examination.
Since then, Riley Gill’s husband has been taken into police custody at the Charity Police Station.
Investigations are ongoing.