Kidnappers free Neisha in cemetery

After five days of keeping the child captive, kidnappers telephoned family members at Tabaquite Main Road and instructed them to pick Neisha up in the cemetery. The child was not physically hurt and Marchan tightly hugged and kissed her daughter yesterday, expressing the joy of being reunited with her only daughter.

A $500,000 ransom demand was ordered for the girl’s safe return, but family members yesterday denied paying any money. Neisha’s father, Ishwarlal Seeteram, said the family received a telephone call shortly after midnight Sunday. The voice on the telephone, Seeteram told Newsday, said "come for her in 15 minutes." Seeteram said a close friend of the family went to the cemetery and found Neisha blindfolded. Her hands were tied behind her back and she was standing in the pitch dark night.

The friend grabbed Neisha and took her to the Couva District Health Facility. Marchan met her daughter at the health centre. While on his way, the friend telephoned the police. Neisha was medically examined by doctors, then discharged. Neisha was kidnapped from her home by three men dressed in army outfits. The girl was staying at the home of her uncle, Winston Seecharan, who is the son of the proprietor of Kenny Kazar Sawmill in Tabaquite. Seecharan was not at home, but his wife, Pamela, and their 14-month-old baby were in the house. Neisha stayed with the Seecharans to facilitate her travelling to the Tabaquite Presbyterian School. Neisha’s parents live in the rural district of Brasso Venado.

Marchan told Newsday that Neisha was kept in a house by kidnappers. Neisha told Marchan that her abductors did not harm or ill-treat her. "Actually, they were asking her all the time if she was all right," Marchan told Newsday.

However, Marchan said Neisha survived the five days having eaten only a pack of potato chips and a piece of black cake.

The child said she drank water. Seeteram, said his daughter told her kidnappers that she wanted "home food" to eat. Marchan said when she met her daughter at the health centre, the child looked frightened. "She seemed a bit frightened to me. I talked to her at first and asked, "How are you Neisha baby." She grabbed me and we just hugged for a long time. Hardly any words were spoken, we just hugged," Marchan said.